Sephiroth's Guide to Marriage and Revenge
by KamirineGoddess
Summary: Revised. After the horrific events brought on by Kairi, Sora and Riku are finally trying to put the past behind them. However, as things continuously go from bad to worse, the pair find themselves facing their nightmare in the most unlikely of ways. FSI.
1. Prologue: Graduation and Congratulations

**Author's Notes:**  
_I want to thank each and every person that read the original fiction, Sephiroth's Guide to Love and Deception. I never once expected that fanfic to be as big as it became (I honestly didn't even think I would get a chance to finish it, much less write a sequel!) so I really have to give everyone a big hug for the support. _

_**EDIT as of June 14th, 2009:**  
I know there are a good number of you guys that have been waiting patiently and I really appreciate it. Thank you guys so much and I just want to express my fullest apologies for making the wait so damn long. _

_Definitely reread this chapter, as it's gone through a major change: I've completely revised this, as well as the following chapters (minus Kairi's) because I didn't like the way it was coming out. A long explanation for this is in my end chapter Author's Notes. A lot of stuff was reworded, completely taken out indefinitely or moved to other chapters. Hell, even the title of the story as been tweaked. _

_But enough of my babble, please enjoy the chapter!_

**Disclaimer:**  
_I don't own Kingdom Hearts or any of the Disney characters that appear in this fan fiction. All characters belong to their respective creators. All rights reserved to those people so please, don't sue. LOL.__  
_  
**Rated Mature for the following:**  
_Strong Sexual Content, Violence, SLASH (Male on Male goodness), Preg ( non-male…for now), Fluff, Strong Language, and mentions of RAPE. With that said:_

_1. Don't bother flaming me because you don't like SLASH, also known as _**_male/male relationships_**_. I warned you so after this moment, you're on your own and should know where the _**_ESC/BACK/END/WHATEVER _**_key is on your computer. Any and all flames of this matter will be promptly ridiculed and ignored._

_2. Might as well say there will probably be Kairi bashing of sorts. Don't get me wrong, I actually like her but for the story, certain characters don't (see SGTL&D) so there may be bashing. If this bothers you, please don't read._

_3. I will try to keep everyone in character, as I myself hate out of control OOC-ness._

_4. If you do tend to write graphically (most of the time) detailed sex scenes, whether it be same sex or heterosexual relations, either skip the part, the chapter or **DO NOT READ THE STORY AT ALL. **You have been warned will be thusly ignored if you flame me for it._

_5. Read Sephiroth's Guide to Love and Deception first before you read this story, or you may get confused about to some things. _

_6. I still have no BETA reader and I'm sorry in advance. **UPDATE: **This is mostly my own fault due to not updating this story in a good while. I am currently gather a few to BETA all my stories but until then, I apologize in advance for any mistakes I didn't get and/or correct._

**!!NOTE!!: **_Now I want to take this time to clear up a few things. After reading my story, I found a few mistakes that I'm surprised no one asked about. Sorry guys, but after the story got so long, I kinda forgot some stuff, lmao!:  
_

_(In the first story.)  
**Cloud/Sephiroth/Zack/Reno: **Seniors **  
Rikku/Yuna/Lulu/Paine/Marluxia(if he were in school)/Zexion/Demyx/Axel: **Juniors**  
Sora/Kairi/Riku/and the rest of the gang: **Sophomores. (I have NO clue why I say juniors…)_

_**(The classes are like my old private school: only certain classes are by grade, the rest are mixed up depending on the student.)**_

_**Xemnas: **Riku's Uncle**  
Xehanort: **Riku's father (I realized in the beginning, I called him Xemnas ^_^*)_

_**Most of the characters have their original last names, for the ones I couldn't find, I made one up.**_

**Summary:**  
_After the horrific events brought on by Kairi, Sora and Riku are finally trying to put the past behind them. However, as a series of unfortunate events continue to unfold around them, the pair just may end up having to face the source of their previous nightmares. But does the girl want revenge? Or redemption? Oh. And something about a marriage, a baby, and possibly even, a murder._

_Prologue is now longer than the original was Get a snack and drink, lmao. I also have AN's at the bottom. Now. With all that finally out and said: enjoy! Please. :}  
_

Text in _italics _and centered = flashback scenes.

_**Sephiroth's Guide to Marriage and Revenge**_**  
Prologue: **_Graduation __and Congratulations_

It was always amazing with how such short spans of time could feel like an entire lifetime.

Life seemed to be one big dream as of late, simply melting all together, one day right into the next.

One particular brunette sat now, in the grand auditorium of the Academy, watching as the headmaster gave an emotional speech about this year's seniors.

His eyes drifted over to his elder brother, Cloud, who sat between his ravened haired best friend Zack and his lover Sephiroth, the trio paying the headmaster little attention as they stared into the audience, Zack making faces while Cloud acknowledging people he knew.

The blond looked right over at his family, giving a warm smile and the brunette, Sora, waiting until Cloud looked directly at him, made a funny face at Cloud. The blond arched a brow then attempted to return it before catching DiZ glaring at him, in disapproval. Cloud gave an apologetic look before trying to look ridiculously serious, his nose in the air and his eyes narrowed--apparently mocking Sephiroth--before the platinum beauty gave the blond a side glance and without warning, pinched Cloud on his inner thigh, sending the blond straight up out of his seat with a yell.

The headmaster, a small mouse that stood on a grand stack of books by the name of Mickey, paused in his speech, looking over at Cloud with concern while the deputy headmaster, an older gentleman by the name of Yen Sid, glared in disapproval, as eyes continuously fell on the now crimson cheeked Cloud.

There where a few snorts from his graduating class and spectators alike, Zack naturally being the loudest to laugh at the blonds' misfortune, as he sheepishly muttered his apologizes and sat back down. He glared venomously at Sephiroth who only stared back at him in a calm, calculating demeanor, arching his brow as if to ask what the problem was.

Headmaster Mickey waited until the room settled down, chuckling a bit to himself and shaking his head at the whole ordeal before continuing his speech.

Sora himself laughed before sitting back comfortably, glancing over at his laughing sister, who watched the proceedings amused.

As he watched her, his mind drifted to the memories of the past few months for her, his ocean blue eyes slowly coming to rest on the bump that was her stomach.

It certainly hadn't been the easiest thing for his sister once she had to admit to their parents that she was in fact, pregnant.

There hadn't been rest in the house for a week, her parents going back an forth with her about the event and how she was far too young and how it was far too soon for her to even think of something like that, let alone actually be doing it.

Ri, stood her ground, completely unmoved as she exclaimed time and time again how she wasn't ashamed of being a young mother, nor did she regret the deed at all…

"_I'm happy," she shrugged matter of factly as she sat on the couch, DiZ pacing in front of her as her mother sat in an opposing arm chair, staring wearily at their daughter. "I know it wasn't one of my better ideas but hey, crap happens right?"_

"_This is not a joke young lady!" DiZ snapped angrily, glaring at her. "You have no idea what it's like--how hard it is--to raise a child Rikku! You are still a child yourself in all respects! You certainly still act like one!"_

"_Just because I'm not about to have a seizure doesn't mean I'm not taking this seriously," his sister snapped backed annoyed, glaring. "I can't change what happened and even if I could, I wouldn't. It's just something that happened because yeah, okay, I made a stupid decision not to take all the proper, necessary steps I should have to ensure this couldn't happen. But now that it has, I'm just going to deal with it."_

"_Alone?" her mother asked softly, looking at her daughter concerned. Ri shook her head. "No mom. Vin and I are going to take care of the baby."_

"_How can you be sure," DiZ demanded, his own concerned concealed by his disgruntlement and anger. "How can you be positive that he won't just abandon you now? Or that he even has the ways or means to support you Rikku?"_

_It was only then that Vincent, who had been surveying the entire scene the whole time, took a step forward into the room and out of the dark hallway, his red eyes trained on Ri before going then to her mother and finally DiZ. The two men stared at one another for a long pause before Vincent finally spoke._

"_I am not a poor man Mr. Madison, though I am not one with a great abundance of fortune either. I have more than enough to provide for myself and my expected family. You need not worry for your daughter or our child, I can and will provide. And I want to be a part of Rikku's life, as well as my unborn child."_

_Then he paused, seeming to be in heavy thought before giving DiZ an almost challenging stare. "That is, if I am allowed to be. Though I will admit…even if I were not, it would not be easy for me to simply 'forget' and 'let this be'. I have no other family of my own at this time and…they both mean so much to me. I can honestly say that I can not just go away simply on a whim."_

_There was a brief moment of silence, DiZ simply glaring between Vincent and his daughter, whom beamed brightly at the raven haired boy, before shaking his head and began to speak. "I just don' think--"_

_Ri's face faltered instantly and she cut him off, standing to her feet. "I swear I'll move out and run away if you won't let us--"_

"_Relax," DiZ began with a sigh, holding up his hand for her to be quiet. "Ri…I just want you to understand that a baby isn't a game or a 'fad'. Babies are a huge responsibility young lady. You have to give it your undivided attention, all your time and money. This isn't like some video game that you can give away to someone or simply store away when you get bored with it. Your not ready." He glanced at Vincent. "Neither of you are ready."_

"_Dad relax," Ri sighed, looking bored with the entire argument. "Vincent and I have already thought up a name for the baby depending on it's gender--"_

"_This is exactly what I'm talking about! Rikku, there is more to preparing for a baby then--"_

"_I wasn't finished, geez!" Ri announced, looking annoyed though slightly humored, which only seeming to infuriate DiZ further. "Like I said, we already thought up names. We are going to get our own place so we can concentrate not only on our relationship, but the baby as well. I'm defiantly still going to school until the eighth--seventh--fourth month of pregnancy--"_

"_Rikku."_

"_--all right, I'll stay in school until the baby is due, then after that, I'll seek getting a private tutor for the first few months of my senior year so I can concentrate on the baby, then once I can completely establish things, I'll go back to school and graduate with my class." She looked over at Vincent who only stared at her silently. The she beamed. "Besides, when you have two brothers and a cousin with plenty of friends, that makes shopping for baby stuff a heck of a lot more fun! And cheaper!"_

It took a few days after that argument before DiZ had finally accepted the news as much as he was going to at the time. And that was only after he sat down with Vincent and had a serious conversation with the young man alone. No one is really sure what exactly he said to DiZ to ease the tension of the situation but it did at least seem that the latter certainly respected Vincent a lot more afterward.

Cloud however, hadn't come around so quickly. He wasn't outright rude to Vincent, though he wouldn't speak to the raven haired boy or stop glaring at him and he didn't pretend he was too happy with the news of his baby sister getting pregnant.

He had all but refused to speak about the subject and no one dared bring it up out of respect--or slight fear of a bad reaction.

It only took a month later for the rumors to start however. Somehow, some way, some outsider had found out Ri was pregnant and horrible rumors began--Vincent had raped her and was some kind of abusive boyfriend and Ri was too scared to get away.

Then there was the one that Vincent had simply only wanted to bed his sister and had dumped her as soon as it was said and done, only giving her support now because he planned to take the baby once it was born, though no one that knew them had no clue how this was so believable considering they pair were openly romantic at times.

Another was that she'd tricked him into the pregnancy and Vincent was too sad of a loser to walk away and not be taken advantage of, which was Ri's personal favorite. She even suggested getting a whip and acting like a dominatrix at school for the fun of it but both Vincent and her friends suggested strongly against it. (Though Paine admitted it would have been funny.)

As with most rumors, no one really ever bothered with actually asking Rikku or Vincent about the matter, though it wasn't like Vincent would have opened up and it would have been amazing to get an actual answer from Ri, she was simply having to much fun with it. So instead, they asked their friends and family. Close enough right?

A few students tried to ask Sora about the matter but he simply declined as polite as possible, or played ignorant about the entire thing until he was left alone. Paine, having had her fill at some point, finally just kicked someone that asked her. No one was desperate enough to risk asking Sephiroth and Riku completely ignored the question all together. And so people eventually asked Selphie--who purposely gave different false answers to ten different people. By the end of the day, the story went something like this:

Ri tried to befriend Vincent--who might be the long lost brother of Wakka--only to find out that he had six other girlfriends. Once she found out, she tried to 'change him', only resulting in the pair sleeping together. Vincent, not realizing she was pregnant, dumped her because he didn't want one of his girlfriends--all six of whom he'd broken up with--to come out and try to kill her.

There was a climatic battle on top of the academy's roof between Ri and one said nameless girlfriend until, after nearly being knocked off the roof, she won the battle. Vincent then carried her off into the sunset, explaining why he broke up with her and they ran off to get married, having their honeymoon in the world of Fantasia.

And this, of course, all happened over a three day weekend.

The entire group wasn't sure if they were more amused at the story or the fact that some people actually believed it.

In any case, the entire group became annoyed with the entire mess, more so Cloud, who barely wanted to address his own sister on the issue, let alone some snot-nosed, rude freshmen that seemed to have the misconception that she was entitled to the information.

It was then that Cloud gave a heavy sigh and a curse that gained the entire cafeteria's attention, a look of utter loathing and annoyance on his face as he began to speak:

"_Since **'leave me alone so that I may enjoy my lunch' **alludes most of you people, allow me to just clear up any and all confusion surrounding my sister and her unexpected turn of events," he snapped annoyed, glaring from person to person._

"_Yes, my sister **is** pregnant, **no**, I'm not happy about it but she is **my** littlesister so that makes me obligated to be an asshole about someone knocking her up. She wasn't raped, no one was tricked, and, Vincent **isn't **some dead beat that wants to abandon her or the baby," he continued, pausing to glare at Vincent with a look that clearly stated **'You better not be or I'll kill you.'** The raven haired boy only stared back in silent observation. Cloud continued._

"_It's just two kids--" "Kids?!" Ri snapped flabbergast. "--making very stupid, irrational mistakes--" "Irrational?!" "--without thinking about the consequences. But regardless, my sister is content, she's happy, and that's all that matters." "Erm…what about Vincent?" Zack whispered to him amused and Cloud simply glanced at him. "_

_And her happiness is all that matters." he repeated and Zack snorted. "Gotcha."_

"_Being as such," Cloud continued, ignoring any further input from his best friend. "I, for one, would **greatly **appreciate if all of you could mind your own damn business and stop harassing her, her whatever he is--" "The 'term' is man slave!" Ri joked and Vincent slowly rounded on her while Cloud proceed to ignore her. "--all of our friends and most importantly, leave **me** the hell alone so I can finish my damn," he paused to look at his tray, making a face and looked over at Zack who laughing said "Mac n cheese."_

"_Mac n--really? **This** is suppose to be macaroni and cheese?" he asked bewildered and Zack snorted. _

"_Rambling!" Ri called and Cloud rolled his eyes._

"_Right, whatever---finish my food in peace. It's not your damn baby, you aren't going to do anything about it, so why care? It's none of your business, go find something else to stir up bullshit about. If she wanted you to know anything, I'm sure she'd tell you, my sister has a big mouth." Cloud finished before pushing the freshman's tray off of his table and on to the floor as a 'hint' that she could leave and went back to poking his food with his fork, completely ignoring the now protesting girl at having her food thrown to the floor. _

"_Gee thanks," Ri replied sarcastically, but seemed amused none the less and Cloud only glanced her way, giving her a stern look before turning to Zack with a sly look. "So…how much time do we have before the bell?"_

"_Uh, twenty minutes."_

"_Good," Cloud said, already getting to his feet and heading for the trash bin. "Then we're going out for lunch. Or home, where I can identify the food."_

It would take another month before Cloud finally relented enough to except the fact that his little sister would have a baby--but he still acted a bit like a grumpy old man about it.

And Rikku--well, she was just being herself about the whole thing. She'd planned her own baby shower, which had been more like a bash then a quiet, cute affair. Complete with a stripper, though Vincent hadn't been too thrilled about that.

She and Vincent already had their place--they'd gotten a small little 'hut' she called it right on the beach, surrounded by Papou trees and plenty of shade. It was still very close to her families' home, which did wonders considering her little brother Sora often came around to assist her.

Even though everyone pitched in at some point, Sora (often dragging Riku with him) would go above and beyond the call of 'helpful little brother' in her delicate condition:

He spent good portions of his allowance on the baby, getting it whatever its grandmother or godmother (Mrs. London) hadn't bought it yet, not mention keeping his sister stocked up on her favorite foods. He'd actually read up on some of the same books she had, so when he babysat, he'd knew exactly what to do in an emergency. Then he helped Vincent, who'd been preparing in…another ways though neither ever really explained what they were doing and why.

They stored their ice chest (they'd gotten a 'special' one she told him) with a special formula for the coming baby, not to mention Vincent insisted on building the baby's carriage, cradle, and stroller, which made it virtually impossible to see the thing once it was in either, hidden under all the layers of drapery it had on it. The windows of their home were tinted to block out any sunlight, as well as the window curtains being black in color themselves.

Vincent had gotten special books of his own, all looking rather old to Sora, and read them constantly while Ri asked some pretty…he would think absurd questions about the baby while he was over there, helping out. Or maybe they were just jokes. Sora had never been sure.

The brunette in question looked over at his sister and her boyfriend, the pair sitting and watching the events on the stage unfold as Vincent absent mindedly rubbed her belly gently in small circles, his sister sobbing lightly into a tissue and muttering how she hated her mood swings. Anyone could understand--Ri wasn't much of a crier but since the later stages of her pregnancy, she seemed to be doing a lot of it lately.

She looked over at her brother gave him a cheerful smile and made a gesture to make fun of Cloud's hair before the pair laughed a bit and she turned her attention back on to the stage, Vincent glancing over and nodding his own acknowledgement before turning his attention back to the stage as well.

Sora turned his attention to his friends that sat right behind him: Tidus, Wakka, Selphie, and recently Wakka's official girlfriend, Lulu, who where all chatting as quietly as possible, though Lulu ever so often told them to hush as she was the only one paying attention to the speech.

They'd only come to the graduation because they had nothing better to do and Selphie had all but insisted. Sora didn't mind though, he loved having his friends around these days. He really enjoyed the company and it helped him…forget certain things.

He planned to enjoy the rest of the time they'd spend together as much as possible: they'd all be juniors next year, then seniors. Heck, Wakka had already applied for Zanarkand College, home of the infamous Zanarkand Abes, one of the best college Blitz teams in the world, though the school couldn't even consider the application until all his test scores came back, most notably, the *H.E.A.R.T.S. test that all seniors took in their second semester.

No one else had really put in much effort to pick a college though Tidus had hinted he wanted to make sure it was either close to Selphie's or the exact same place. The pair only seemed to strengthen their resolve to put their relationship back on track after finding out what had been done to drive them apart. They were stronger than ever and their friends couldn't be happier for them.

Out of the entire group however, Selphie, during a rather awkward moment, admitted to missing Kairi. Not one of her friends had said a word on the matter and the girl completely dropped the subject. Though since, she'd developed a rather odd relationship with Lulu, being the girl's personal annoyance, not to mention she'd strengthened her friendship that she already possessed with Namine`.

In an odd sense, Namine` had taken Kairi's place with everyone it seemed. Riku wasn't exactly fond of her however, he was never outright mean to the girl. Sora had forgiven her for her role she'd played in Kairi's little scheme, but it didn't stop the girl from apologizing profusely about it. After a while, he found that he rather liked being around Namine`, though it was suspected that she 'eased' his mind whenever he was around her, enabling him to find peace in the recent months with everything that had happened to him in the past year. She was suspected to have peered into his thoughts and memories of all the events, getting a good impression of how the brunette felt lately, considering he hadn't really opened up to anyone about the incident in general. Though if she had, she refused to say a word to anyone, even those the closest to her or Sora.

This was thought to be the reason why Riku didn't really appreciate the girl's presence. Sora refused to say anything even to him, in an odd sense, pretending that nothing had ever happened unless poked and provoked by their lawyer.

It was just…easier for him that way. Bottle it all in and try to forget…

The brunette had begun to say something to the group once they noticed him staring but paused when he felt someone slap him over the back of the head, glaring immediately to his immediate left. Roxas stared at him looking completely innocent while Axel who sat on the other side of the dirty blond, sat back down in his seat, smirking at Sora.

He blinked once then frowned at the pair. "What was that for?"

"You didn't hear me, did you?" Roxas asked, looking a little concerned. "Want me to smack him again?" Axel asked in mock concern and Sora glared at him. The red head look confused and shrugged. "What?"

Roxas rolled his eyes. "I was asking where Riku was. I think they're close to giving out the diplomas, Sephiroth's speech is over."

"Oh!" Sora smiled sheepishly, looked up to stage just in time to see Sephiroth stepping down from the podium as most of the audience gave him a standing ovation, his own class cheered loudly as he took his place back among the ranks. Sora blinked, a bit bewildered and Roxas laughed. "You missed the speech, didn't you."

He laughed sheepishly. "I guess I did…I wasn't really--"

"Paying attention?" Roxas finished, frowning a little concerned. "You space out a lot Sora."

"I was just…thinking about a few things," he admitted and Roxas only continued to stare at him, a light frown on his features before sighing and dropping the question he was about to ask. There was no point to it: Sora wouldn't tell him the truth anyway.

"Well…where's Riku?" he asked instead and Sora shrugged. "I don't know. He said he had to go do something but won't tell me what. He said it was a surprise."

"Oh, maybe it's something cute for you Sora!" Selphie gushed, leaning forward in her seat, eavesdropping on the conversation.

Sora simply shrugged as they all turned their attention back to the stage as a rather nice song began to play. Everyone was transfixed on the blond sitting in a chair with his sitar, strumming out the notes of a beautiful song he'd made especially for the occasion. When he wasn't paying attention to his instrument, his eyes were meeting with a certain silver haired youth in the audience. Zexion watched Demyx intently, a sliver a smile on his features, content.

Despite all the events the pair had gone through recently, what with Zexion's brief trial, the pair were rather happy together and well on their way both professionally and relationship wise.

It hadn't been easy however.

While it was rather amusing to watch the pair, Demyx being open about his feelings for Zexion while the latter tried his hardest to be more reserved, stumbling around his feelings awkwardly, it hadn't been so amusing once Zexion's father found out about the pair.

He outright refused his father's inheritance since he wouldn't except Demyx as his lover, much to the despair of both Demyx and his mother.

The last thing Demyx wanted to do was cause a rift in the family between father and son but Zexion was stubborn by nature, and had gone so far as not to even speak to his father as long as he was refusing to acknowledge his relationship with Demyx, not to mention he'd made plans to move out of his home without so much of a warning or word to his parents.

But the move had got put on hold once his own trial for his involvement in Kairi's little scheme came underway. While he was barely on speaking terms with them, his parents came to support him, though it wasn't a huge secret that his mother had to push his father into coming.

The trial had been rather short and sweet, with Zexion pleading guilty and as a result of the deal to testify against Kairi when her trial came about, not to mention he'd written a statement and recorded testimony on the matter, he'd gotten away with probation.

Demyx meanwhile, had come every single day, an hour earlier then each day of the proceeding. He sat on bench right behind the defendant's side, holding his hand when he could, calming him down when it appeared Zexion was getting upset, and even testified on his behalf as a character witness, completely giving the prosecution the shaft on cross examination.

It was no surprise to Zexion how Demyx cared about him but it did however, impress his mother, who despite Zexion telling them time and again abot Demyx, had believed the boy was nothing more than a 'phase' for his son. She became so intrigued that she took the time to pull him aside after the finale day of Zexion's trial and invite him to a private dinner with her.

She'd grown to love Demyx and began calling him her 'son', inviting him to the private victory dinner for Zexion's return home. With her persistence and Zexion's stubborn nature to completely shut his father out, which further upset his mother, while it may have taken a while and been begrudgingly, his father finally relented completely and complied, admitting while he didn't like the idea of his son being with 'a poor musician' he would no longer stand in their way: his relationship with Zexion was far more important. Zexion accepted his inheritance and his father blessed the union. As much as he was going to anyway.

The pair would both be seniors this coming year and Demyx was well on his way to becoming the lead professor of the music department while Zexion, after his senior year, was slated to take up an apprentice ship with professor Yen Sid, extended to him by the man himself.

The song finished and the audience clapped, Zexion and his mother giving in a standing ovation. Sora began to stand but paused when he felt a few pieces of popcorn pop him in the back of the head. He turned to glare at Tidus and Wakka, who tried to look as innocent as possible, Lulu eating the popcorn and glaring at him stony faced.

He rolled his eyes and glanced down the row to where his parents on the other side of his sister. Riku's parents sat right next to them, along with Riku's uncle Xemnas, that watched the entire proceeding rather disinterested, seeming far more intrigued by the palm pilot in his hand that was busy working on at the moment.

He was the man that had become Sora and Riku's attorney and from all accounts, Kairi's worst nightmare. Her attorney had tried without success three times to have him removed considering his relationship to Riku but the man was resilient, cunning and rather manipulative.

Sora rather hated talking to him to be honest, as he seemed rather distant and uncaring about anything other than getting justice and winning the case.

He looked up for a brief moment, his golden eyes trained on Sora, giving him a smirk and nod before going back to his palm pilot.

His children sat a few chair down from him them, talking among themselves and watching the proceedings. The three had gone home a week after Riku had made a full recovery. They'd kept in touch with phone calls and letters to their father and only came down on holidays or special occasions, such as now, for Sephiroth's graduation.

The trio tended to be interesting, to say the least.

Though the three never really said who was the oldest, though Yazoo, the tall slender brother with the longest hair, seemed to act the most mature. And antisocial. He only went out of his way to speak to his family or for some odd reason, Namine`. He seemed to be rather interested in the blond girl and had gone out of his way to go visit her every time they came to visit.

He didn't speak that much in general but when he did, he usually sounded completely bored or amused in a sarcastic manner, though he tended to be more of an observer than a social butterfly.

Loz was kinda odd. He looked like he was probably the oldest, and was the only person in the London family with short hair seen thus far. He had a wider frame and seemed more muscular than the others, though oddly enough, he was the nicest of the trio and acted slightly immature at times, like child. . He wasn't afraid to openly show his affection for his family (more so is late mother) under any means and was often teased by his brothers and cousins for it.

Though it did appear he had an uglier side when he and Cloud's friend Tifa had gotten into a disagreement when the pair, along with a few others, volunteered to help Aerith fix up a church. They ended up fighting and ruining the very garden they had been trying to help Aerith's set up. In the church no less. They'd worked out their dispute (which had been over a quirky little ring tone he refused to send to her via blue tooth…) and the two could now at least, stand one another. Though Tifa couldn't make it any less obvious she wanted a rematch.

And then, there was Kadaj. He had this air about him that while it could definitely intimidate and seem rather eerie, could also entranced those around him. His mannerisms reminded some people of Sephiroth: he spoke in a smooth, almost memorizing tone that drew people in. Though while Sephiroth's was naturally cold and calculating, Kadaj's seemed to be more about manipulation and cunning.

He always seemed to give off that there was more behind that charming smile of his, one that most could not put their finger on.

He was good at hiding his emotions, not hiding them in a shroud of mystery and emotionless stares, but instead, displaying the emotion he wanted people to perceive from him.

The light haired youth in question frowned a bit as Riku finally made his way back to his seat, ignoring the formers light complaints of having his vision blocked briefly.

Sora smiled as Riku took a seat by him, the latter returning the expression with a touch of guilt on his features. "I'm sorry it took so long Sora," he began and the brunette shook his head. "Not a problem. What were you doing though?"

"Something for Sephiroth," Riku admitted looking exhausted instantly at the idea, slouching further in his seat, causing Sora to laugh. "Was it _that_ bad?!"

"You try looking for _**one**_ diploma in a stack of like, thousands, and you tell me if _**that's**_ not bad," Riku sighed and Sora looked puzzled. "I probably got them all in the wrong order too but there's no way I'm going back to fix them."

"Why'd you do it," Selphie pouted, wrapping her arms around Riku's neck and giving him a light hug but he only shook his head. "That only works on Tidus, Selphie."

"It does _not_," Tidus snorted and Riku looked unconvinced. "She can get whatever she wants from you when she does that."

"Bull cra--" He paused in mid sentence as Selphie instantly made a pouty face and hugging him around the neck, said softly "I want a soda…"

He took one look at her face and softened instantly. "What kind?"

"Sprite," she smiled and Tidus nodded. "I'll get you the biggest one they got."

"And if they don't have it--"

"I'll walk to the store, no big," he announced, already leaving his seat.

Everyone simply watched him walk away, the blond not even realizing what had just happened while Selphie puffed out her chest and looked pleased with herself, Riku smirking in triumph while making the motion of a cracked whip. The group laughed.

"Will ye shudup," a voice snapped from a few rows back and a few people, as well as the group, turned around to see Cid, cigarette dangling out of the corner of his mouth (unlit of course because Aerith wouldn't let him), glaring at them.

"Could you be anymore embarrassing?" Yuffie whined, giving the small group of friends a sheepish smile and wave while Aerith simply ignored them in favor of smiling at Zack. Leon, who was sitting to Cid's right, only glanced briefly at him before turning his attention back to the stage, more noticeably the blond that was Sora's brother.

Things hadn't worked out with Leon and Cloud, and while the brunette wouldn't say much on the subject (at least to most people), it was a little more than obvious to those paying attention that the feeling he carried for Cloud still resided.

Like Seifer, who was Leon's current boyfriend. It was no secret that the pair weren't exactly on the best of terms, more so since even though the group had moved back to their home (though Aerith was moving back to Destiny Island to be with Zack), Leon tended to spend more time on the islands--with Cloud--then back at home with Seifer.

The latter was quite jealous of their so called 'friendship' and had gotten rather tired of Leon pretending those feelings he had for Cloud didn't exist. Where the pair stood now was anybody's guess, as neither really talked about things and Leon's closer friends were keeping anything knew to themselves.

The elder man glanced at Leon, shacking his head a bit and calling him 'pathetic' under his breath before glaring at Yuffie for her comment and smacked her over the head, making her clutch the spot and wence. He gave a gruff grunt and looking satisfied, folded his arms over his chest as he focused on the stage.

He then paused to glare at the small group sitting ahead of him and they all turned back around in their seats, just as the handing out of the diplomas began.

"When I call your name," the headmaster announced in a loud, proud tone, glancing over at the graduating class. "Please come receive your diploma, then stand to the right just off the stage and wait for your classmates."

The entire room became silent except for the seniors whispering to one another as they all rose together and waited, the chairs disappearing from underneath them as soon as their bottoms left the cushions. Cloud and Zack joked about something while Sephiroth seemed preoccupied in his own deep thoughts. If a person didn't know any better, like that Sephiroth had a incapability to be anything but confident, he would have thought he saw nervousness flash through those Make green eyes.

But then again, when was the towering swordsman ever really nervous about anything?

The headmaster began calling peoples names and sure enough, Riku had indeed ruined the order the diplomas were in: the headmaster read the name on the first ribbon, then glanced down at the next, frowning a little before placing it down and calling the first one he'd picked up.

"Cloverton, Rude!"

And their classmates, along with members of the audience, family and friends being the loudest, clapped as the bald young man walked across the stage, though even he confused as to why he'd been called first, looking back at his best friend Reno, who shrugged lightly in response.

Sora glanced over at Riku who hunched a little. "Told you they got out of place."

"And you didn't at least try to put them back?"

"No."

"…Nice."

"Sora, you go through the trouble of trying to find one of those things buried in a sea of those things in less then five minutes--because it went by Cloud's original last name which starts with an 'S'-- only to have the whole stupid stack topple over, and put them all back in alphabetical order without getting caught." Riku grumbled and Sora snickered a little.

Headmaster Mickey picked up the next scroll on the pile, glancing at the ribbon then continued.

"Beauty, Bell!"

A whole group of people got to their feet and roared in applause and crying out support--in French-- a rather cheerful and jolly chubby man sobbing and hugging a equally so woman with a kind face, their small son it seemed standing in his chair and jumping a little until his mother scolded him to stop.

The beautiful brunette walked across the stage, her smile vibrate as she bent down and hugged the headmaster before accepting the diploma and after shaking the hand of Yen Sid and a few professors, she took her place next to Rude. She looked back on stage and waved gently at a handsome young man with blond hair and he returned the smile with a dazzling one of his own.

"Wallace, Barret!"

"Hell yeah, go Barret! Whoo!!" Tifa screamed, scaring a few of her other graduating class as the large African American male looked back at her and shot a thumbs up before proudly making his way across the stage, accepting his diploma after shaking Mickey's hand and joining the others. Cloud put a hand on her shoulder and rubbed small circles on her back with a solemn look. "It's…going to be all right Tifa, we'll make sure you get that *special* medication you need."

She punched him in the arm and he laughed.

"Okay, when Cloud and Sephiroth get their diploma, you guys get ready to cheer and make a total ass of yourselves, kay boys and girls?" Ri called over to them as Vincent helped her to her feet and Lulu immediately spoke up, glaring at Selphie. "Just as long as she doesn't slap me in the face when we jump out of our seats again. My eye was red for a week."

"And avoiding you is no fun either!" Selphie giggled sheepishly before turning to face Tidus when he touched her shoulder upon his return. Sure enough, he'd gone out of his way to get her a 20oz. bottle of Sprite, complete with an unasked for Heath bar.

"Aw, thank you Tidus!" she squealed, hugging him and taking her seat, Tidus smirking with a 'mission accomplished' look before taking his arm and placing it around her.

"Yugeski, Zack!"

There was a roar of applause as he strutted across the stage in a slow, dramatic fashion, grinning from ear to ear before pausing and raising his hands in a fashion that was telling the audience to get to their feet--to which a lot of the student body in attendance complied, Yuffie standing on her chair and holding up a sign that said _'Congratulations, Now Marry Aerith!' _on it, much to the blushing brunette's embarrassment.

Sora paused in his cheering to look at his sister, who was making a face of pain as she tried not hunch over in pain, touching her belly and rubbing it gently as Vincent gently spoke in her ear. He watched as she smiled vibrantly at the worried look on the raven haired boy's face and assured she was fine before standing tall and joining in the celebration. Vincent simply watched her with great caution, no longer paying the graduation any attention.

Sora watched his sister a few moments more with worry before being drawn back to the stage when Zack gave Mickey a hearty handshake, before pretending to burst into tears, pulling the floating microphone that Mickey had been speaking through into his grasp and mock sobbing into it: "I would like to thank all the little people who made this a fun year for me! Freshmen, take a bow, love you guys and thanks for doing my homework when I didn't have time! Sophomores, thanks for always getting my trays and buying my lunches, dates cost you know and you understood that. You really _**got **_that and I appreciate it."

Cloud snorted while Sephiroth just shook his head gently at their friend's antics. Headmaster Mickey looked thoroughly amused while Yen Sid, not so impressed.

"And juniors, thanks for looking up to me and realizing just how awesome I am! I want to give a special thanks to all the professors who tried diligently to learn me something!"

"Nice to know you learned how to speak proper _'English'_, " Yen Sid murmured grumpily and Donald quacked out a laugh.

"I want to thank Cloudy, Sephy, Reni and Rudo for playing my best friends, you guys were awesome," he continued and they all rolled their eyes though Reno gave a mock bow. "I want to give a shout to my ridiculously gorgeous girlfriend, you guys can look but don't touch, Aerith, you're my everything!" he sobbed and finally Yen Sid snatched the mic away from him, Zack giving him a big toothy grin before Yen Sid slapped his diploma in his hand and pushed him toward the others.

After he was done chuckling, the headmaster continued.

"Normand, Reno!"

A storm of females started screaming their hearts out, making a few guys arch their brows while Reno only smirked, his look oozing _'Don't be jealous'_ as he pulled his sunglasses over his eyes and shaking Mickey's hand, took his diploma at the same time. He pulled the shades down just enough to look over the top of them at Rikku and wink at her, to which she rolled her eyes but clapped all the same.

"London, Sephir--"

Mickey proceeded to hold his ears as the auditorium erupted into thunderous applause, the entire student body getting to their feet or standing on their chairs, Zack, Reno, and Cloud pretending to be groupies and screaming like school girls, the latter pretending to faint with Tifa catching and fanning him looking mock worried.

Sephiroth glared back at him slightly amused before making his way across the stage.

Mrs. London was in tears as she cheered for her son loudly while Mr. London grinned from ear to ear, as if he couldn't look be more proud as Sephiroth walked across the stage with a grace and elegance that could be envied, taking his diploma and joining Zack and Reno, who were at this point, pretending to sob with excitement and love, still screaming like rabid fan girls--and touching his chest.

He narrowed his eyes at them and the pair slowly withdrew their hands, Reno forcibly coughing for good measure as they both looked away from his cold glare.

Once the excitement finally died down, the headmaster finally continued.

"Strife, Madison, Clo--"

This time it was Sora's turn to scream like a banshee, along with most of the audience, his mother bouncing back on to her feet along with Mrs. London and cheering, both women sobbing with joy now, proud of their graduates.

Ri gave a nod to Tifa who gave her back a thumbs up before she pulled on string that was hanging from the ceiling, the sky erupting into cloud of confetti and glitter, floating down towards the people on stage and first few rows of the crowd.

Cloud paused to take in the entire scene before glancing over at Ri expectantly, his sister having a silly grin and waving.

Yuffie had flipped over the sign she'd used for Zack and it now read _'Cloud for President!' _while the others in her group cheered, Leon notably, more enthused than he had been the entire evening, causing Sephiroth to glare at him a bit.

All the cheering died down as he went to shake Mickey's hand, Sora taking the moment to look over at Riku, who oddly looked very pleased with himself, making the brunette stare at him a moment longer in a quizzical fashion just as Cloud accepted his diploma.

He held it up, looking directly at his mother and she with Mrs. London, erupted into shrilled applause excited applause before something attached to the rolled up parchment caught in the light, blinding spectators and causing some to cry out in surprise as Cloud flinch.

He paused to examine the diploma before making a bewildered face. Everyone watched in silence as he pulled something off the thin paper and held it in his hand before holding it up to the light, something once again catching and blinding a few on lookers.

"A…ring?" Cloud mutter softly, the mic now floating right in front of his mouth before he snorted and held it in his hand again. "What, did I win some kind of--"

He fell silent as he watched Sephiroth get back on stage and walk over to him, the pair staring at one another for a moment before the tallest of the two slowly got to one knee. Cloud's eyes bugged for a moment as he lost his breath. "--prize?"

A few people jumped at their mother's loud squeals as they did a small dance that resembled someone having to use the restroom (in his opinion anyway). They finally took a seat, Mrs. London all put pushing DiZ out of his so that she could be with Mrs. Madison, the pair watching the proceedings anxiously as they held hands, gitty looks on their faces.

Mr. London proceeded to look anywhere _**but**_ at the pair of women while Yazoo, who was the closest to them, simply removed himself from his seat and stole another _**far**_ away from the entire family while Xemnas casually helped DiZ up and into Yazoo's old seat, both too, pretending the two women weren't there.

"Mom, _**stop**_ embarrassing us!" Ri hissed over at them, waving a hand at them to cease what they were doing before, with an utter look of confusion, looked down at herself and then at Vincent, who eyed her with concern.

She muttered something more so to herself than anyone else before she winced in pain and held on tight to Vincent, a flash in his crimson eyes. He tried to get her to her feet but she, for whatever reason, shook her head firmly and stayed planted in place, pointing at the stage and muttering something. He didn't look to pleased and didn't bother sitting back down as he watched her, his eyes glancing over to the exit ever so often, not paying attention at all to the pair on the stage.

But there was no grand speech of melodramatic declarations of love. Just a simple brush of the hand as Sephiroth took Cloud's into his. The pair kept looking into one another's eyes, unwavering and it was obvious that anything and everything Sephiroth had to say, he was telling the blond through his eyes.

A smile broke onto Cloud's face as he finally looked away, laughing a little and muttering that he couldn't believe this as Sephiroth finally spoke, his demeanor in a smooth, calm, and dare should someone say, loving manner.

A simple statement:

"Marry me Cloud."

* * *

_**More Author's Notes:**_  
_…I like that version a lot better. Once again, thanks guys for bearing with me and being so patient!_

_**A few notes: **  
**1. **After reading the first few chapters for this story and finally deciding indefinitely where I wanted to go with the fiction, I have revised the prologue and first chapter. Kairi's chapter will remain untouched thus far. The main reason for the revision was that I didn't like how I conveyed or explained certain things (some of which was too soon). And the first chapter was written during a period when I had writer's block, so it wasn't really the best. _

_It's been a good while since I've updated this story for that reason mainly: I knew where I wanted to go with the story but hadn't really paved a way to get there. I ended up writing myself in to a corner and wanted to seriously think about where I was going to go with the story before I wrote it any further. I tried to avoid having to revise anything but in the end, after reading and re-reading things, I realized I really didn't have a choice as I grew to hate how some of the things were turning out._

_Though I will say it wasn't the only reason: there were certain things that literally happened beyond my control (like having to move immediately or loosing the internet for a while, as well as a few of files for a good portion of my stories), and wanting to concentrate on other things in general._

_**2. **At this point, no one other than Reno and Rikku know that Vincent is actually a vampire yet. This will be explained very soon though, probably in the next chapter, how they've gotten away with it thus far, especially with Vincent spending so much time around the family. Next chapter is a hell of a lot longer than before. So yeah, I'd give it another read, lmao. More to come but until then, as always:_

_Happy Reading!_

**~Kamirine**


	2. Chapter One: Anxiety Pt 1

_**Author's Notes:**  
After I revised it, this chapter became so long, it's now been split up into two separate chapters or parts, lmao. I didn't get to explain nearly as much as I wanted to so instead, I thought two pretty nice sized chapters would do.  
_

_More AN's at the bottom so enough talking. Enjoy._

_**Sephiroth's Guide to Marriage and Revenge**_  
**Chapter One: **_Anxiety Pt. 1_

_"Marry me Cloud."_

The entire room had grown so quiet as everyone waited anxiously for the blond's answer. "He's going to say yes," Sora whispered as softly as he could to Riku, smiling a little before the latter gave a bit of a chuckle and added "After all the crap I went through to plant the ring there? He better."

Though it wasn't like Sora was wrong: it was practically a given that Cloud was going to say yes, though the blond could prove to be an upset and say no. Though Riku certainly didn't want to be anywhere near their mother's if anything of the sort happened, let alone Sephiroth.

The blond had taken a few more moments to stare at long term boyfriend, before he finally opened his mouth to respond.

"Sephiroth--"

"Rikku's having the baby!" Selphie screamed with excitement, leaping to her feet and pointing at the blond who gave the girl an annoyed glance before wincing in pain, breathing rather hard as she stubbornly tried to stay in her seat despite Vincent gently taking the girl into his arms and lifting her up gently.

"Vincent!"

"We must depart Rikku, I've told you." he stated firmly and she tried to squirm but instead winced as she felt yet another contraction. "I wanna here--oh crap this hurts! Nevermind! Don't care! Need a doctor. Oh goodness!"

"Honey, get the car!" Mrs. Madison cried as she and Mrs. London leapt back to their feet alarmed, DiZ already moving through the row to get out while Mr. London followed him.

"Pain--!" Ri exclaimed desperately, looking up at the stage in time to see Cloud lean in to Sephiroth and mutter his answer gently, Zack throwing up his hands and rolling his eyes, clearly annoyed that he couldn't hear a thing.

Sephiroth's expression didn't change to give any indication of the decision. He only leaned forward and whispered something in Cloud's ear, the blond nodding before the pair escorted themselves off stage, Zack and Reno following the pair and coming over to the small group that had poured out into the aisle, all trying to help escort Rikku out of the building.

"A little less fussing over me, a little faster getting me to medication!" Rikku snapped, angrily. "I think the baby hates me! It's trying to kill me, someone make it stop!"

"Come on guys, move out of the way and let him through," Cloud frowned as Vincent held her in his arms, ignoring her cries of anguish as he carefully but as quickly as possible, began to carry her out of the building.

"We'll meet you at the hospital," Aerith cried out as Zack and Reno walked over to her and their small group, already making their way for an exit. Riku looked over at Sora, who was looking over at their group of friends.

"You coming?" Riku called and Tidus shook his head. "There's too many people going now and we don't want to crowd."

"We'll come later when everything's settled down," Lulu muttered gently and Selphie nodded, gitty. "But call us with updates or I'll beat you guys up!"

Riku nodded as Sora pulled him along, following their elder brothers, Axel and Roxas outside, hearing Ri fuss all the way about everyone panicking and thus, keeping her from her medication longer.

Just as they got to the walkway, DiZ pulled up with the family van and Vincent gently placed her inside as everyone dispersed to their own means of transportation, Cloud immediately heading toward his motorcycle while Sephiroth followed, Riku and Sora hopping into the car with Axel and Roxas.

Other than nearly hitting several cars along the way, they all successfully made it to the hospital around two in the afternoon.

By that point, Rikku was practically two steps away from having her heard spin around in a complete 180 while foaming at the mouth, she was screaming in pain from the contraptions. . She was immediately escorted into the labor and delivery room, screaming and yelling all the way. Vincent, along with Mrs. Madison and Mrs. London, quickly followed her to give support. Everyone else simply went to the waiting area as they arrived, save DiZ and Mr. London, who decided to walk and discuss things in private.

There, the group waited for a few hours, one by one or in groups drifting off to other places either in the hospital or outside of it to find places to eat or buy little gifts for the baby and Rikku.

Before anyone knew it, it was seven thirty and the only people left in the room were Sora and Riku, who had currently stepped out to get himself and the brunette a drink and was making his way back at the moment, sighing in exhaustion.

He turned his attention to the cups of hot chocolate he was holding, focusing on the gentle ringlets that foamed and lazily made their way outward. He thought back to a few hours ago, when out of boredom, he, Sora, Axel and Roxas went into Ri's labor room just to see where she was on the entire process.

It had been…an event to say the least.

"_Please kill me!" Rikku screamed in agony, sobbing as her mother whispered gentle things in her ear, making the girl glare at her mother angrily. "I don't want to hear your crap about how everything is going to be alright! I want to get this thing out of me already! Why can't I start pushing yet!?"_

"_Your only at 8 centimeters honey," Mrs. London told her smoothly. "You have to wait until your at least 10 before the doctor will feel comfortable--"_

"_Oh, I'm so happy that I have to wait until that jackass feels comfortable before we can have **my** baby," she snarled angrily, pausing to squeal in anger and pain as she felt yet another contraction, her longest thus far. _

"_Honey, just calm down," her mother tried but Ri only gasped in pain, trying to control her breathing and glaring daggers. "Does it look like I can 'calm down' mother?! Give…me…a break!"_

"_We're at nine centimeters doctor!" the nurse cried and Ri gave a sarcastic 'hooray' as she took Vincent's hand into her own and squeezed with all her might as she felt another contraction. She looked at him in the eyes, as seriously as she could. "Please kill me."_

"_Everything will be fine Rikku," he replied softly, in a comforting tone and for the once, the girl seemed to calm down. He kneeled next to her bed and leaned in close, speaking to her gently and privately in her ear, caressing her arm gently in a form of comfort._

_He did this until finally, the doctor came to her side and announced that everyone needed to depart the room for a moment. _

"_No!" Ri complained, grabbing on to Vincent's hand tighter if that was even possible. _

_The doctor, however, didn't seem phased or troubled by her demeanor. He simply chuckled lightly and explained calmly. "I want to give you an epidural for the pain, so this birth will be a little easier on you. I'm asking your family and friends to leave so you won't be distracted as your administered the drug."_

"_No (gasp) more (growl) pain?!" she demanded and he nodded. She instantly let go of Vincent's hand before screaming "Get the fuck out!"_

_The quartet were already listening at the door as the trio filed out, everyone waiting outside as they listened carefully to the room. They didn't have to wait long._

"_Get that crap away from me!" they heard her scream at the top of her lungs and Vincent immediately sprang toward the door to go back inside but was stopped by Ri's mother, the small gathering still listening to what was unfolding inside._

"_There's no need to get upset Ms. Madison, this is standard procedure." the doctor explained. "it's an anesthetic injection that has to be given in to the spine, into the space between the outer membrane covering of the spinal cord and the overlying bones of the spine."_

"_Don't care, get it away from me!" Ri screamed. "I hate needles, that thing is huge, I'll just deal with the pain, just get that thing away from me!"_

"_Are you sure? Once we get started fully with this procedure, we won't be able to administer it later."_

"_Yes, whatever, I need Vincent, please just get Vincent in here so I can give birth to vampire baby!"_

_Everyone slowly looked over at Vincent, who's only reply was "A private joke."_

"_Right," her mother nodded gently, still watching Vincent rather wearily before she went back into the room, Vincent and Mrs. London following before the latter turned to the boys, frowning a little. "Go back to waiting room boys, you'll only aggravate her at this point."_

_With that, she shut the door quietly behind her, the boys simply staring at one another before they departed back for the waiting room._

Riku blinked out of his thoughts, the sweet aroma of the cocoa he was holding reminding him of the beautiful shade of brown…it reminded him of the shorter teen that awaited his return in the small waiting room.

He gazed around the hallways quickly before pausing in the doorway of the very waiting room, seeing a single soul left. He sat by the window, gazing at the last remnants of the setting sun, fidgeting slightly in his seat.

Riku smiled.

Sora couldn't help but look ridiculously adorable. His wide sapphire eyes seemed to emit his sleepy excitement--Sora hadn't gotten much sleep the night before, not to mention loosing his lunch from all the odd turns and speeding Axel had done along the way, the boy seemed exhausted.

Riku stepped into the room and those same eyes seemed to magically light up a moment, all the sleep fading from them for an instance before it slowly crept back on the boy, returning, but not at all hindering his enthusiasm as he got to his feet and met Riku partway across the room.

Riku found bliss in being able to move Sora with just his presence--he wasn't egotistical about such things mind you, it was just the simple thought of a single person caring about him so much that his mere presence brightened their mood, even if it seemed like it was the happiest it could be at the moment.

"Got you some cocoa," he stated simply and Sora's trademark smile beamed on his face. "Thanks Ku, I could use a perk me up."

He nodded and passed over the drink before giving him a quizzical look. "Sora, is there something on your mind?"

Sora adverted his eyes for a moment before shrugging as the pair began to walk back to their seats. Riku thought briefly that maybe they should shut the door--this was a private waiting room reserved for Rikku's family and friends so no one could just walk in and out of it like an ordinary one--but then thought better of it.

Though as the pair were just getting comfortable, they looked up just in time to see Cloud storm by, looking flushed and aggravated followed quickly by Leon, neither paying attention to the room, let alone the pair in it. The pair listened to their angry footfalls disappear down the hall before Riku finally spoke.

"What's his problem," Riku muttered and Sora sighed a little. "Remember when I left to go the restroom?"

Riku nodded.

"He came in looking for Cloud. He never said why but he looked really upset. I told him I didn't know and he just stormed out. Guess he must have found him though," Sora strangely detached. "If I had to guess, I'd say it's because of Cloud possibly saying yes to your brother's proposal."

Riku wasn't remotely surprised.

Certainly Leon had moved on (or so he said) with Seifer but it was still very obvious that he had some left feelings for Cloud. And even if not, he made it no secret that he didn't like Sephiroth anymore than he had when they'd first met and that he still had reservations about Cloud being with him.

"Not like it matters," Riku finally replied, speaking his exact thought at the moment. "If they are going to be together and that's what they want, then it's the only thing that should matter: their happiness."

"…Wish Kairi had learned that," Sora muttered darkly and Riku softened instantly. "Don't think about her Sora, it'll ruin an otherwise great day."

Sora gave a rather curt laugh. "I figured at this point you'd be asking to talk about her Ku. About everything."

Sora looked a little hurt and Riku immediately regretted his words. "I didn't mean I didn't want to listen, I just don't you to get upset Sora."

The brunette gave a small, grateful smile that seemed to fade almost instantly.

"I know Ku. It's just…it's not easy." Sora admitted, looking down at his drink as Riku watched him intently. "It's like trying to forgot something you don't want to think about…which causes you to think about it even more. And you don't want to talk about it because then you have to think about it." He paused, looking miserable. "It's like I can't win."

Riku's gaze shifted away from the brunette and into his own dark thoughts. He's done a good job thus far completely ignoring that fact that Kairi existed, let alone actually bringing her up.

It hadn't been easy at first, but Riku had gotten rather good at simply not thinking about the girl or anything she'd done to him: it only put him in a fowl mood and made him angry to think of everything she'd done. Not only to him, but all the people he cared about around him as well.

Though it was inevitable really: Selphie had already brought her up once in a random conversion, not to mention that his constant concern over the fact that Sora, a person who was a lot better at convey and sharing his feelings was choosing to hide them to the point of pretending nothing was wrong, kept the red head on his mind.

And even if that weren't the case, then the impending trial would certainly keep her memory and her betrayals fresh in his mind.

Her trail was suppose to have happened months ago, last winter to be exact. And now they wouldn't be going to court until the end of the summer in the last week of July. Kairi's lawyer had postponed and prolonged justice as long as he possibly could, trying to buy more time to possibly find a way to get her out of the mess she was in and give her the proper defense she needed--or rather, get Sora and Riku to cut a deal..

The latter hadn't gone over so well initially.

Her father had relented on letting Kairi just 'sit and fry' thanks to his wife's pleading requests and the pair were actively trying to help her the very best way they knew how--neither wanted their daughter in jail for the rest of her life but her father at least, still wanted to see her punished for the crimes she committed--he wanted her to understand what she did was wrong.

Her mother however, refused to believe any of the 'lies' either he or Sora had been saying about her daughter and completely trusted Kairi's word. She defended her daughter at every turn and continued to stand by her with blind faith.

Riku couldn't blame her he supposed--she was her daughter after all. His parents would probably be hard pressed to believe anything that despicable if someone told them he'd done it as well.

Regardless, the Doss', along with Kairi's lawyer, invited Sora, Riku and their parents to sit down and hammer out the details of the deal. They all agreed to meet at the Destiny Island Courthouse, which was right by the Juvenile Center--where Kairi was being held for the moment since Xemnas, their lawyer, insisted she stay, only to be spoken to by himself and her lawyer on any and all terms and proceedings she need agree to.

At first, it wasn't so bad.

Sora, though obviously shaken by the events in general, tried to be done with the situation as quickly as possible. Despite it all, he didn't believe she could get any help rotting away in a prison cell, so he agreed that as long as she stayed away from him and Riku (far _**far **_away), that he would be willing to agree to a lighter sentence--as long as she was in an institution where she could get professional help for her 'problems'.

Riku had practically wanted to strangle Sora--he couldn't fairly say Sora was just as naïve has he had been when this entire incident started, but that huge heart Sora seemed to have was maybe a little too big. It was the exact reason why Kairi was able to get away with so much in the first place: Sora was too forgiving in nature when people outright didn't deserve it. He never understood that part of Sora and he probably never would--not in terms of Kairi anyway--but at the time, he'd been willing (after a very long, emotionally draining argument mind you) to agree with those terms, only because of Sora and his feelings he held for him.

Thankfully, in Riku's opinion anyway, Sora's parents refused to be as forgiving. And neither were his own, but he already knew that was going to be the case. His father was known to hold a bit of grudge and while his mother was a bit more temperamental and kinder in nature, she wasn't about to let 'attempted murder' slide on one of her family members.

Both sets refused anything short of jail time for Kairi--fifteen to twenty five years at the very minimum to be exact, and that was only after they talked Mr. London down from "Screw that, let the bitch fry!" status-- and wanted the girl to openly admit to the courts exactly what she'd done, including an apology to both families and all people involved that she hurt. Kairi had to seek psychiatric help while incarcerated and had to continue said treatment upon release of prison (in the institution) until she was seen as fit to finally be let out of state custody and placed back within society, if ever.

Mrs. Doss had gotten angry, to say the least.

"_My daughter is not crazy!" she snapped angrily as she got to her feet. Her husband tried to calm her down but she pulled away from him, shaking her head. "He," she paused to point of Riku. "Must have provoked her somehow! My daughter just isn't that type of girl and it isn't fair to place all of the blame on her like that!" _

_It was then that Sora, in a quiet tone, glanced up at Mrs. Doss and simply asked "Then what did I do?"_

_There was a silence that suffocated the room for minutes after that was only lifted when Sora spoke again. "I've never done anything to Kairi. I've defend and stayed by her side when people were warning me that it may not be a good idea. And yet she…" he paused taking a deep breath while his mother rubbed circles in his back. Sora flinched a little away giving his mother a grateful look but gesturing it wasn't necessary. _

"…_she had me raped. And stole all of my memories to try to keep me away from the truth. And managed to hurt all of my friends in the process. And even if Riku was mean to Kairi, she wasn't exactly nice to him either Mrs. Doss." he stated rather bluntly, glaring at Mrs. Doss with a steady, firm glare and sad eyes._

"_That still doesn't constitute that my daughter is at all insane or that Riku didn't maybe bring on some of the things she did to him," she insisted heatedly. Riku had only glared at the woman with discontent, choosing not to say immediately what was on his mind but instead, let his eyes wonder to his chest and almost absently touched the place he'd been stabbed before glaring right into Mrs. Doss's eyes and in a calm, yet cold tone stated "I beg to differ, you'll have to excuse me."_

_Sora had touched Riku's hand then and gave it an encouraging squeeze, the platinum blond smiling gratefully at him as Xemnas gave the woman an unimpressed, dismissive gaze as he flipped the pen he'd been using with his fingers from the index to the pinky and back. _

"_The girl is not to come within 100 feet of Sora Madison or Riku London. Any means of breaking this can and will result in the girl's freedom at that time being revoked."_

_At that point, Riku remembered her mother trying to say something else but Kairi's lawyer wouldn't allow it, instead, holding up his hand to cut her off. _

_After a long discussion the Doss' lawyer finally agreed, stating that they would have to negotiate on how much time Kairi actually spent in jail. Snorting but agreeing--for then anyway--Xemnas and he finally went to go tell Kairi of the news._

_And they tried reasoning with the girl--they really tried--but she outright refused to any of the demands, refusing to admit she'd done anything wrong to Riku and insisted she was trying to save her boyfriend._

_She had been so loud that the small group could hear her in the room they were waiting in, Riku arching his brow at the term 'boyfriend' she'd used for Sora, the brunette himself shaking his head at the term and muttered something that Riku couldn't hear all the way. However, he had been able to make out the word 'delusional', which had briefly put a smile on his face._

_The meeting was put to an end upon the lawyers return with Mr. London now muttering about how 'sane' Kairi clearly was loudly enough for the Doss' to hear but neither said a word, only glared at him as they left._

But it was what happened as they were all departing the building that still bothered him and he was sure, Sora as well.

_They had just walked out of the large building when they saw Kairi being walked out of the juvenile center towards a transportation bus, ready to take her back to the institution she was currently being kept in. Sora's breath caught and it was Riku's turn to give his hand a reassuring squeeze._

_The girl didn't look much different. She never really had much weight to begin with, and since she was wearing a baggy orange jumpsuit, he couldn't tell if she'd gotten thinner. Her hair didn't look as vibrate as usual but it was longer. Her bangs covered her eyes completely now and it reached all the way, on all sides, to her mid back._

_Her head was down and her ankles and wrist were in shackles. She probably wouldn't have noticed them if it hadn't been for her mother calling out to her._

_Her head lifted lightly then snapped up into place, and for a brief instant, he could see those same wide orbs of ocean blue, the pupils dilated in fury as they stared right at him. She immediately made a move toward them but the guards escorting her quickly grabbed her by the arms and began to drag her toward the transport, her father yelling and running over, demanding that they not treat her so roughly while her mother, tearing up, ran over to try to calm the girl down and fussing about how unfair things were and how Riku was getting away with 'antagonizing' her._

"_If by 'being alive' is what she means, then I can't help that," Riku had replied darkly as he watched Kairi try to pull away from the guards. And as useless as it seemed, she tried regardless, focusing her glare directly at him as she began to rant, tears in her eyes._

"_This **ISN'T OVER**, do you hear me Riku!" she sobbed angrily, trying in vain to pull away as Mr. London put a hand on his son's shoulder and DiZ attempted to herd everyone toward their vehicles but neither boy allowed them selves to be moved and only listened to Kairi's insanity. "This fight isn't over Riku! I'm going to get out of here! I'm going to make you and everyone who betrayed me pay for what you've put me through! He'll understand! He always understands don't you Sora?!"_

_He briefly took the chance to steal a glance at said teen, who was staring at Kairi in a slight disbelief and sadness as he tightened his grasp on Riku's hand. _

" _What I'm doing is right!" She continued. "I'll make you see Sora! You don't need Riku! Do you get that Riku?! He only wants me--he only **needs** me! I'll find him--I'll find you--and I'll take him away from you, you'll see! **YOU HAVEN'T WON YET**!!"_

Riku blinked away the memory as he focused back on Sora, who's gaze hadn't left his cup.

The brunette shook his head, giving a bitter laugh. "I just don't get it Riku. We were all friends--"

"The two of you were friends Sora. I think she and I stopped liking each other as friends a long time ago," Riku sighed. Sora shrugged. "We all got along before all this started. Before Tidus' party, we were all happy. I don't care what she says, you can't fake how you feel about someone."

"Obviously she can, cause she did one hell of job convincing me that she was actually happy for us and only trying to help," Riku muttered spitefully. "She faked caring about Namine`'s problems and used Selphie's disagreement with Tidus to her advantage even if it meant hurting her best friend. She deceived you into trusting her then lied and said she was only out for your best interest. Who's to say she was ever my friend in the first place Sora. She's a manipulator and steps on anyone who gets in the way of what she wants."

"She wasn't always that way Riku," Sora insisted vehemently. "Something changed."

"Doubt it," Riku insisted and Sora gave a bit of sigh. " Not like it matters anyway. Everything that happened…this is technically all my fault."

There was pause as Riku looked dumbfounded, with his eyebrow arched in disbelief.

"All your what?" he asked bemused as he slowly turned his head in Sora's general direction then added. "Explain."

Sora gave a soft, mournful smile that was followed by an almost nonchalant hunch.

"A long time ago Riku…when I thought you hated me and we broke up…there really aren't words that can describe how much anger and pain I felt," Sora began softly, choosing to stare straight ahead at the wall with a memorized stare, as if he was diving deep within himself and his thoughts.

"I didn't know what do, why it happened, and how I could possibly go on. I never told you, but I felt like I was putting a lot on the line when we decided to date back then. You were my best friend ever since my family moved to this island and finding out that you liked me…when I'd loved you at the time for like what? A year and half.."

"You did?" Riku inquired and Sora nodded. "Selphie knew. I never told anyone else. And she never did either." He paused to laugh and glance over at Riku. "The one time she doesn't tell a secret, right? I was surprised too, but grateful.

"In any case, I was really cautious about things because I knew that if it ended badly, we'd not only ruin our romance, but our friendship as well. It's why I never came clean: I didn't want to take the chance of destroying what we already had by liking you and you not remotely feeling the same.

"So when we started dating, while I was still nervous, it was like living a dream. Until…the thing in the cafeteria happened. I felt like my entire world had ended and that even though I didn't understand how or why, I had single handedly destroyed the one thing I never wanted to: our friendship."

Sora paused and Riku shook his head. "Sora, I should have never made you feel--"

"You thought I'd betrayed you. I can understand that Riku, really," Sora assured him. "My point for even bringing that up is--as soon as it happened, and I went home, she was the one that came in like a white knight. She was understanding, caring of my feelings and genuinely seemed distressed about our plight. Certainly, she called you ever name in the book but then again, so did Ri at the time so I didn't really pay attention to the possible red flags then. I just thought she was trying to be a good, supportive friend, completely taking my side on the matter and thinking you were being an ass.

"And even when I moved, I lived for those years away from the island thinking that you were this jerk while Kairi was this great friend that only had my best interest in mind. I thought about her a lot when I was gone and in a odd sense, saw her as my only friend because she'd gone so much out of her way to support me while I'd stayed on the island.

"I had a while to build up my hatred for you Riku. And it wasn't exactly hard. Painful but not too hard, because I'd just gotten so angry. And when I got so angry about you…she was the person I thought of to calm me down. Her kind words, her hugs and hand holding while I was falling apart.

"It's why she was the one thing I was looking forward to when I moved back to island. I hated the thought of staying anywhere near you but thought that just like before, she'd be my rock. My support and help me through all the bitter feelings, anger and resentment I held toward you," Sora admitted softly and Riku could only stare at him as he listened to Sora's words.

"Then…Axel. To this day, he still won't tell me why he went out of his way to expose her lie. But once I found out the truth…it was the same feeling I had the day when you broke up with me. I put my trust and faith in to her, she was the person I knew that would never hurt me, at least, not so badly. She was the best friend I thought I had other than you Riku and she just…"

He motioned with his hands something seeming to explode. "It may not make sense to you because you already knew what she'd become. But for me…I wanted, I needed to think that there had just been a mistake. Just like with…us. With you. That it was just a minor flaw that needed to be hammered out and explained. That once I got to bottom of it all, I'd still have the same Kairi, a little less innocent maybe, but at least, still not completely bad. Just misguided."

Riku only stared as a bitter laugh erupted from Sora's lips before he continued. "I gave her a second chance even though deep down, I knew it was a horrible idea. But I wanted to honestly believe her claim of having my best interest at heart. I'd given you a second chance despite how I'd felt about you and we were working out again, then maybe she and I could work out as friends again.

"I wanted to honestly believe that things could go back to normal. That maybe even over time, all three of us could be friends again. That she could put aside whatever reservations she had about you and realize how much I really cared about you and just be happy for us and support our relationship. I wanted her to be able to see that you were the best thing that's ever happened to me and having you back in my life only made things right again, not that I was making a bad decision."

Riku gave him a faint smile at his last words. Seeing the depth of sincerity in Sora's eyes warmed his heart but pained it all the same--there within that sincerity lingered the pangs of guilt. A guilt that he knew Sora was having a hard time dealing with, no matter what anyone told him or ever would.

"I trusted her again, even when everyone tried to warn me was making a huge mistake. Even after she'd set up to destroy our relationship and thus, destroy a part of me as well for her own paper thin excuses. Knowing how much I'd hate you and how hard it had been on me and practically smiling in my face then and once I came back as if she'd done nothing wrong and was only trying to help. I gave her a chance after all of that--and she repays my blind stupidity by having me raped." Sora spat hatefully, glaring at the wall again.

Riku took in a breath and closed his eyes. He was suppose to be the bitter one. He was suppose to be the one to despise Kairi's very existence. Not him…he was too good for that. "Sora…"

"It's okay Riku, I can say it now. I've had a while to deal with what happened, even if choose to block the entire incident from my memory," Sora announced, facing the turquoise eyed youth with a reassuring half smile. "It happened and nothing can change the past. You can only regret it and learn never to repeat it next time."

"Sora…"

"You know, the thing that really hurts," he began, cutting Riku off and the latter took the moment to envisioning running Kairi over with a bus as he watched Sora literally seem to struggle not to tear up, the untouched luke warm liquid in the cup he held began to spill over the side as his hands shook a little. "It wasn't what she had done to me, mind you. Or even why--because no amount of therapy is going to ever make _**that**_ make sense."

He laughed at his own light joke before continuing. "It was the fact that she went out of her way to make that…thing…look like you."

Silence.

"What kind of person who is suppose to care about you would take the one thing that they knows means so much to you and do something like that?" Sora questioned, not really addressing anyone. "Could you imagine what would have happened if her plan had worked out the way she wanted? Where I would have believed that it was honestly you that raped me?"

A lone tear began to creep into the corner of his eye and he quickly whipped it away, taking in a deep breath as Riku only continued to watch in silence, trying hard to decided what he could say to possibly help Sora through this.

"I don't think I can convey how hard it was that first night when you came back from the hospital Riku," Sora admitted, looking down at this lap in shame. "I knew it wasn't you but something in the back of my mind kept nagging me, terrifying me that I'd blink and suddenly you'd be trying to hurt me. You were so patient and I really appreciate that Riku, you have no idea. And in the end…if it hadn't been for strength you gave me to face that fear, that patience and simply looking into your eyes and seeing the real, true Riku I knew…I don't think I could have gone through with it. The eyes are the only thing that set you apart.

"It…it sounded like you. It acted like you. And the way it…it was just so calm. Like what it was doing was perfectly normal and alright. That he was somehow showing me love and couldn't understand why I felt so betrayed and hurt. How I'd thought for that brief moment before it confessed…that I'd made the wrong decision in ever trusting you again. It was the third time I'd felt so betrayed and that kind of despair from someone I thought I could trust and put my faith in--and what seemed like twice with the same person.

"But then it told me the truth and I felt worse. Because the first and second time, I didn't really know what was going on. My own naivety played a role in not seeing thing for the way they were but least I could take a small comfort in knowing that. But this time, I'd practically set myself for what happened because I knew what she was capable of but I let it go. I couldn't really blame anyone but myself for what happened.

"Sure," he muttered softly, not trying to hold the silent tears streaming down his face. "I didn't deserve being raped but I defiantly could have prevented it if I could just stop for two second and see things as they were instead of what I wanted and hoped they could be."

Sora took the brief pause to whip the tears off of his face with the back of his hands.

"Then she goes and tricks Namine` into stealing all my memories of the incident and of you as well, violating me in a since again," he snorted a little. "By this point, who would be surprised really, right?"

Riku tried to return a light smile but couldn't hold it long given the conversation. He had to admired Sora's ability to talk about the things that had happened to him--it wasn't that Riku was too weak to openly discuss it, it was simply that where Sora dealt better with things by talking about it, Riku was better by shutting them in and simply forgetting or burying them in his mind. It was apparent that it was eating Sora alive when he'd tried to do the same thing and he couldn't be happier that Sora was finally opening up.

" If it weren't for me, then everyone wouldn't have been hurt like they were. If I had just listened to everyone, if I had just told her to stay out of life once I found out what she'd done the first time, then maybe I could have prevented all the further trouble she caused for everyone after that," Sora muttered miserably and Riku shook his head.

"Kairi is…sick Sora," Riku replied, watching the brunette intently. "A psycho. Don't even attempt to take the blame for something that was beyond your control. So what you tried to give her another chance? So what you wanted to believe and try to trust her? Sora, you've always been a forgiving person--it's in your nature! If you weren't, we never would have gotten back together!"

"Riku, that was different and you know it," Sora muttered and Riku shook his head. "Sora, you are a forgiving person by nature, whether the scenario is different or not. The consequences were server but what she did to you wasn't your fault. No one told that crazy bi--"

". . .What about you."

Riku simply stared at the boy, honestly confused. "What about me?"

"She almost killed you," he stated softly, refusing to look at him. "She hated you so much that she tried to hurt any chance she got first emotionally, then she tried to kill you. Because of me. How can you not hate me Riku, after that?"

"Sora, I'd never hate you for what _she_ did!" Riku snapped. "You didn't know she would try to do that!"

"Shouldn't I have!" Sora snapped back, looking up at Riku finally, letting the platinum blond see that he'd started to cry a bit again. "If I hadn't been so damn naïve, you never would have had to go through what you did! Axel wouldn't have been attacked by that manic because Kairi helped in setting him up, Namine` wouldn't have been put through her emotional distress, hell, your own brother and mine would have never had to go through what they did if I had just put an end to my friendship with her!"

Sora looked down at his feet, slightly dazed, once again choosing to ignore the wetness that cascaded down his face. "You almost lost the most important thing in my life because of my own stupidity. At the end of the day, it's the only thing that I can't help but think about no matter how much I try. I'm surprised you don't hate me to be honest Riku. You or your parents." He seemed to zone out for moment. "…They went through so much stress when you were in the hospital. Your mom was so upset…and all because of my dumb mistake…"

Riku took the boy into his arms and Sora resisted a bit at first, muttering how Riku shouldn't have to comfort him after what he'd done but the platinum blond would have none of it and wrapped his arms around the boy, the brunette burying his face into the nook of Riku's shoulder.

They stayed this way for a long time, neither saying a word and just listening to the soft sound of each other breathing and the fading footfalls and beeping from the hospital floor.

"Listen to me Sora and I mean _listen_ this time," Riku said softly but firmly, wrestling his own bitter feelings from reaching the surface as he tried hard not to think about how horrible it been in the hospital and the look on his mother's face when he'd finally woken up…the pain…

'_Focus on Sora, he needs you,' _he chanted his mind and finally, began to speak.

"None of this is your fault Sora. Even if you had told her back then to stay away from you and out of her life, do you honestly think she would have listened? She would have found some way to blame it on me and say it was my fault that you would ever do something like that, no matter what you did or said Sora, just like she has been doing. I'm her enemy, that's what she believes, not you. Her hurting you is just a 'sacrifice' to destroy the one thing she seems to think is in her way of getting what she wants," Riku relied in a serious tone. "She would have just used it as another excuse to try and drive us apart, if not out right try to kill then. You couldn't have done anything different and gotten a different out come short of hating me and going out with her Sora."

Sora nodded slowly, the tears completely stopping now and Riku made the boy look up holding his face in place so that he'd have to stare him in the eyes.

"She took what she knew about you--about everyone-- used it to her advantage and gain. Yes she tricked you, yes maybe you did make a mistake here or there, but you can't change her or anything that's happened and I refuse to let you wallow in self pity about how this should all be your fault. Maybe it was a hard lesson for us to learn, but as long as we take something away from it to prevent it from ever happening again, then it will have all been worth it, no matter how much it sucks."

There was a brief silence between the pair before after a thought, Riku added. "She'll get what she deserves eventually Sora, I can promise you that. My uncle, you and I, everyone she hurt--we'll all make sure of that. And while this sounds impossible right now…you can't let what she's done get to you so much and make you angry and bitter. That's not in your nature Sora. I know…that deep down, you want to forgive her and maybe you should, for your own sake. Never forget Sora…but forgive."

"I'm…not sure I can do that right now Riku," Sora admitted bluntly and Riku watched him, finally silencing his own small tirade. "It's just not the same anymore Riku. Not like before."

He stopped to look up at Riku and for the first time in a long one, Riku actually saw something akin to hate in Sora's eyes. "After everything that she's done, don't even think I can forgive her yet. And forgetting is practically out of the question--I've been trying to and can't do it. But I will say this for her: she made me see a flaw in myself, even if it is considered a good trait."

"But it is a good trait Sora," Riku argued and the brunette only nodded, pulling his face away from Riku. "Forgiveness is good Riku and being a bit naïve isn't so bad either. But not to the extent I used with Kairi." He smiled at Riku lightly. "This entire ordeal helped me realize that I do tend to be a little to naïve and forgiving at times. It doesn't mean I won't continue to be forgiving and I'll try not to be so naïve. But I definitely won't ever let things get so out of hand where something like this can happen again."

Then, almost begrudgingly he added. "I'll forgive her in time I think. Just…not right now is all."

He leaned in on Riku, laying his head on his shoulder, yawning a bit, exhausted. "I wish I could be stronger about this like you Riku."

Riku scuffed lightly. "I bottle my feelings because that's how I deal, Sora. I'm used to doing that--heck, it's practically passed down from my father. Maybe it's not healthy but that's how I deal. You face your feeling and all of your fears head on. You're just as strong as I am Sora, if not stronger, just in a different way."

He looked down at the brunette and gave a faint smile. "You were willing to at least think about forgiving Kairi, and eventually, I know you will because that's how you are. That's something I'm not sure I'll ever be able to do in this life time Sora. And that takes strength. A lot of it."

Sora let his words sink in before after a few silent moments, finally gave an almost embarrassed smile and sitting upright , let a sheepish laugh erupt from his lips, making Riku smile in turn. Now that was the Sora he was used to seeing.

"I'm sorry Ku," Sora began. "I didn't mean to force all that on you…this all has just been bothering me and I really needed to get it off my chest."

"If it's helping you cope Sora, then force whatever you need on me when you need to," he admitted, pointing directly at Sora's heart. Then he smirked. "Though…the sobbing is a bit _girlish _of you. But then again, you _are_ the submissive. . ."

Riku jumped up from his seat and laughed as he dodged a few punches in his direction, his own mood lightening up seeing Sora return to his light-hearted state as he began to give chase, slipping momentarily on the split liquid before regaining his composure and following strong, both nearly colliding with a very excited Mrs. London once Riku had one foot out of the room and out into the hallway, prepared to go into full sprint.

"Here you two are! She's about to completely deliver the baby, we're going to the delivery room so we can see it as soon as possible! Come on boys!" she gushed, before hurrying down the hallway, the pair pausing to look at each other then hurried after her, leaving any spiteful feelings about Kairi or her deeds in the waiting room.

* * *

_**More Author's Notes:**_  
_I think my main reason for doing this chapter was because I wasn't really happy with Sora. I didn't want to make him too much of a baby or make it seem like he was the same guy from the first story that would believe anything Kairi fed him like a baby on spoon. The entire point was for him to have learned something and I wanted that to be conveyed not only in this chapter, but throughout the story (as will be seen). And I honestly don't think I did that well enough with the original version of this chapter._

_Plus, I wanted to put more with Riku and the baby and something I actually forgot to put in with Cloud and his predicament. By the time I was done, this was well over 50 pages (the original was maybe 28 I believe) long, hence it now being two parts of the same chapter instead of one. _

_Have fun with part 2, as it's a little less…what's the word, dramatic? Intense? I hope anyway. _

_As always, Happy Reading!_

_~Kamirine_


	3. Chapter Two: Anxiety Pt 2

_**Author's Notes:**  
The rest of the revised version of the original chapter one. Rather, an extended version of the ending to the original. Hope you enjoy!_

_**  
Sephiroth's Guide to Marriage and Revenge**_  
**Chapter Two:** _Anxiety Pt. 2_

"The baby is crowning!"

"Oh honey, your almost there! Just a little bit more sweetheart!"

"Push!"

"Breath!"

"Shut. The. **FUCK. **Up!" Rikku snarled at everyone in the room, aggravation written all over her face. "If you don't like what I'm doing, then you push the little monster out for me!"

"Oh sweetheart, we're only trying to help!" Her mother insisted, already gushing at the small head that was visible as DiZ padded Ri's head to get whip away all the sweat, refusing to go near the lower portion of her body.

"Your not helping!" Ri insisted. "Only pissing me the heck off! And this baby…it's got such a big head…I don't want to push anymore! Just cut out out!"

"Oh come on now," the doctor said calmly, making Ri glare daggers at him for the millionth time that day. She was really beginning to hate the guy: how the hell could he be so calm and borderline happy while she as in the worst pain of her life.

It felt like the baby was literally trying to split her in half down the middle from her vagina. It wasn't helping at all that the baby as practically gorging itself on blood as it was being delivered like a little big headed mosquito, though Vincent had warned her the baby would do that since it would blood to sustain it, as well as her mother's natural formula.

How'd they'd been able to keep everyone from finding out about the baby by this point was a pure miracle, as everyone seemed to have convinced themselves that she'd gone into some form of delusion induced by pain, as many times as she'd called her baby a 'monster', 'semi-vamp', and 'possible soul sucking ungrateful brat that's trying to kill mommy' during her delivery.

Though out the entire ordeal, the only thing that seemed to bring ease and comfort to the young lady was Vincent, who never let go of her hand or left her side once he'd been let back into the room after the attempted epidermal.

Since she couldn't get her mother and father to leave, only being rid of Mrs. London so she and her husband could go round everyone else up once she'd 'crowded' or they saw the baby's head, and the doctor and his nurses were happy go lucky assholes, Vincent was really the only thing she had to comfort her.

She knew Pain and Yuna had arrived not to long ago at the hospital but apparently, decided to wait until after she had the baby to come see her, considering how much and how loud she'd been yelling. Not that she cared. The less people the better.

The only thing she cared about now was Vincent, getting the baby out of her, and getting a very strong dose of whatever pain medication they had after this was all said and done since she'd been to much of chicken to get the epidural, which she not only later regretted, but thought pointless since the doctor ended up putting an needle in her hand to feed her liquids during the ordeal.

"Come on sweetheart, give one big push and it's all over!" her mother urged and she shook her head. "Can't. Head to big. Never fit. Just kill me. Or cut it out. Please. So painful," she pouted, ready to sob and she felt a light squeeze, wiling herself to focus on Vincent.

"Just once more Rikku, please," he asked gently, his crimson eyes watching her with concern, love and pride, making the girl feel a bit light headed. Or maybe it was the baby gorging itself. She really couldn't tell. "You can do this Rikku, we both know you can. Just one more good push and it will all be over."

"No…more…nagging mother?" she breathed in pain and he nodded gently, Mrs. Madison letting the comment slide and filing it under 'induced by labor pains'.

Squeezing Vincent's hand hard and bringing her legs up as much as she could, she gave one final, hug push, giving a loud, almost warrior like roar of a cry. Moment later, the room was filled with shrill screams from the small bundle the doctor was holding as the nurse urged Vincent to cut the umbilical cord.

"Congratulations! It's a healthy, seven and half pound baby girl!" the doctor announced happily and her mother squealed with excitement while Ri breathed grateful, tears stinging her eyes as she watched Vincent and he in turn, watched her, brushing her sweat matted hair out of her eyes.

"Oh my god…that had to have been like…five pounds of baby head right there," she joked breathlessly and Vincent couldn't to anything but smile wide, everyone in the room missing the obviously longer than usual length of his canines as they were too busy with the baby. "My poor…big headed baby…my poor vagina…don't think anything will ever…"

Vincent shook his head and kissed her forehead. "Everything will be fine. I'm sure it will…go back to normal. And even if our baby has the huge head, we'll love her al lthe same."

"But Vin," she whined half heartedly. "What will the other….vamps say…about our big headed…baby?"

"It doesn't matter what anyone would say about her. She's made from our blood-"

"--sweat…and tears…" Ri added and he nodded. "And that's all that will ever matter. Our love for her and the love of those truly close to her. Nothing more."

Ri smiled, forgetting briefly about her pain, exhaustion, hunger, annoyance and everyone in the room and just concentrated on the raven haired boy that gave a toothless but sincere smile as he stroked her forehead and cheek in a loving manner. The world seemed to fade into the background as the pair simply stared at one another in a loving manner, neither breaking eye contact or saying another word. Simply staring and feeling their deep emotion through a single stare.

"…Rikku honey?"

The girl blinked and both looked up to see her mother staring at her sweetly, beaming with so much pride that Ri couldn't help but feel proud of herself as well, if not a little sickened. "Honey, they've cleaned the baby and they're going to let everyone see her for a few minutes before putting her in the nursery and you in a private room, okay?"

Ri frowned. "I don't…want…the baby in…the nursery! My hard work…my baby…I get to…have her…with me!"

"Honey, it's just for the first night then I'm sure you can keep the baby with you," her mother reassured her as DiZ, holding the now clean baby in a beautiful red blanket Vincent had gotten for this very occasion, carefully brought the baby over to them and handed the small bundle to Vincent.

The crimson eyed beauty cradled his newborn baby girl lovingly, staring at her sobbing face and small moving form with a tenderness that made Rikku's heart melt as she watched him, not noticing the doctor was in fact, injecting her with medicine to help her with the pain.

Though it began to kick in immediately, she was still in pain--tremendous, unimaginable pain--but the arrival of her child and being rolled (at that very moment) into a more comfortable room and as Vincent walked beside her rolling bed with their precious bundle was helping to put her back in a better mood.

She felt exhausted and a little out of it, not to mention she knew her family and friends would start crowding in any moment now which annoyed her a bit since all she wanted to do was rest, hold her baby, and sleep. But she could at least, have this moment as she was finally placed into the room and her parents left her alone with Vincent so they could have a 'private' moment before everyone else arrived.

"Kinda funny," she murmured sleepily and Vincent only looked up for a moment to give her a quizzical look.

"I think she waited til night Vin," she continued, looking briefly out of the window to see the night was setting in, the stars glittering in the sky with a full moon bringing a odd glow into the room, barely visible by the florescent lights beaming down from the ceiling.

Vincent formed a barely noticeable smile on his lips before looking back down at the baby. "Perhaps. At this stage of infancy, she's very susceptible to sunlight.

"…Even half?"

"As she grows older, it will do less harm," he murmured gently, cooing the baby as she sobbed. "Though it will still bother her, it won't be as deadly to her as it is now."

"So she's like a normal vamp… only cuter and smaller," Ri replied, the medicine finally kicking in enough where she barely felt pain, just tired and could talk more normally. If sounding drugged was 'normal'. Vincent only stared at her before giving a light nod. "More or less. Though if we plan to have her around your parents and family, I believe it would be wise to tell them…the truth."

Ri laughed a lazy, almost drunk laugh.

"They barely liked the fact I was having a baby, let alone everything that came after it, why do you think me telling them my baby is half human, half vampy is going to go over well?" she asked and Vincent shook his head. "We can not take our chances Rikku."

She would have swooned over the way he said her name--she usually did--but she was just to darn tired. So settled for a mental swoon instead as he continued. "Your parents will want to take the baby out and spend time with her. We can't allow them to care for the baby not knowing the potential dangers that most people deem as normal."

"But if the baby doesn't go out in sun light, how will she get her tan?"

Vincent stared at her a moment before ignoring her joke and continuing. "We will have to tell them Rikku. We knew this day was coming. We should have never have put it off for so long."

"I know," she muttered. "Hell, I technically did tell them all through the labor. I say we did our job and if they just didn't catch on, it's not our fault."

"Rikku."

"We'll tell then Vin…when we get out of this place and I'm not high on pain killers or whatever this is they have me on. I can barely think of what two plus 4 is, let alone how to explain to my parents I've given birth to a dhampire."

He nodded gently as the door flew open and people began to pour in, a rush of excitement and chatter filling the air.

"Only a few minutes," Mrs. Madison warned. "The only reason we're able to all come in like this is because she's on the only woman to have a baby so far today and they're giving us a pass of sorts. But just a quick visit, then we can watch the baby from the nursery while Rikku rests."

Then she turned her attention to her daughter and ran right over, Mrs. London not too far behind her. "My little baby," Mrs. Madison cooed sympathetically as she hugging Ri gently.

"Mom, I just had one, not a baby anymore," Rikku replied lazily, leaning her head in and DiZ gave a bit of hearty laugh as he walked straight to over to the other side of the bed. "Don't bother, you'll always your mother's baby."

"Bah, parents," Ri muttered, rolling her eyes a bit and her mother beamed. "When she's your age, you'll understand it too dear."

Ri began to say something but paused as she watch just how many people were coming into her room, her best friends Paine and Yuna being one of the first, both waving and smiling at her (though Yuna more enthused then the usually playing it cool Paine), followed by both her brothers and cousin, with the respective boyfriends with everyone else bringing up the rear.

The medicated teen groaned annoyed. "Yeah, no, please. Crowd in this little cramped room. I'm not claustrophobic at all."

"But you aren't dear," her mother cooed gently, making those annoying 'baby' noises people make, not really paying much attention to Ri at all. Ri pouted loudly and turned to look at Vincent. "Make em leave!"

"Quite your whining," Sora laughed, coming to sit by his sister on the bed. "We're doing that 'support' thing you always complained about when we didn't stop what we were doing to get you ice cream."

"I would support you leaving," Ri joked and Cloud walked over and ruffled her hair, just to annoy her further (she hated that) as he spoke. "But we just got here."

"Fine," she replied, forcing herself to sit up (Sora helping her in the end) and crossing her arms over her chest and glaring directly at the blond. "Then you get to tell us exactly what your answer is to 'The Question'."

Cloud blinked, looking completely innocent and tilted his head to the side. "What ever could you be talking about?"

"Don't play dumb Cloud, you know what I'm talking about. Inquiring minds want to know," Ri smirked before yawning and Cloud shook his head as everyone turned their attention to the blond and got quiet, so they could hear everything he said.

Cloud only shook his head, looking a bit confused. "I couldn't possibly get you worked up Ri. I mean you just had a baby and all. You probably need to rest."

"No no, really Cloud I can handle it," she challenged lazily. "I'm fine, just medicated. Though I will say, the pink elephant dancing on your shoulder keeps giving me the stink eye."

"And that's what you deem as 'fine' Ri?" Cloud snorted. "Just how much medicine did you take?"

"Dunno," she teased. "I told them to put enough medicine in me to nearly kill me during labor. You have a baby and try not to ask for it. Is she big headed to you? Because it hurt like hell. Though I do admire your attempt of changing the subject."

"I try," Cloud shrugged and he felt a sharp pain to the back of his head as Zack slapped him over the head. "What the heck was--"

"Just tell us already Cloud, your mother is about to burst," he announced, motioning towards Mrs. Madison, who was trying her hardest to pretend that she was concentrating completely on the baby but was obviously casting side glancing and sharing squeals of excitement with Mrs. London as quietly as possible.

There was a pause of silence as everyone watched Cloud, the blond turning to look at Sephiroth, who was standing next to him, his Mako green eyes trained on the blond, a light smirk on his face. A light tint touched Cloud's cheeks before he simply held up his hand and pulled the motorcycle glove he'd been wearing on his left hand, revealing the same ring that had been around his diploma displayed proudly on his ring finger.

The noise that erupted in the room was enough to make a nurse look in concern and the baby to start wailing, immediately bringing the cheering and screaming of joy (the latter from each respective young man's mother) to a whisper as Ri finally took the baby in her arms and began to rock her to get her to calm down, Vincent watching protectively over both of them closely.

"Congratulations, all of you!" Aerith announced, giving both sets of couples a warm hug while Zack shook Sephiroth's hand and made a motion behind his girlfriend's back to Cloud that he'd be the one wearing the dress, to which the blond responded with his middle finger.

"I'm so happy for you! " she added. "A new baby to lavish and love for one couple and a new union to mature and grow for the other!"

"Yeah, cause I can't wait for our lovely mothers to completely plan out our life together." Cloud snorted and both Mrs. Madison and Mrs. London glared at him while he scuffed at the notion. "Right down to the front pouch swing with a nice big yard to the white picket fence and the dog."

"Now Cloud," his mother frowned, placing her hands on her hips as Mrs. London literally did the exact same action at the same time, making Cloud arch his brow at them and snort. "What are you, twins now mom?"

"Just because we want to aid you two with our experience with preparing for a wedding and marriage, doesn't mean we will completely take the event over," she scolded, completely ignoring the joke. "We simply want to help you two. It's not everyday that our eldest," the two mother's features softened at once and looked at their sons with admiration, making Mr. London arch his own eye at the unison the two women shared. "--decide to get married. And to each other no less!"

"And besides, perhaps now you and Sephy-bear--"

"Sephy-bear. _Really_ mother…" Sephiroth frowned gently, making a few people snort loudly at the nick name.

"--will be considerate to your mothers and give us our first grandchildren!" Mrs. London beamed and Ri slowly looked up from her baby, looking insulted.

"Adorable new born granddaughter! Right over here!" she called.

"Mother, men can not and do not have children," Sephiroth announced smoothly and once again, both mothers put their hands on their hips and glared at him. "Well then you'd better figure out a way _dear_," Mrs. London snapped. "Because it's certainly doesn't look like Riku's going to give my a daughter-in-law!"

Riku simply nodded and shrugged. "I'm hopelessly flaming. Sorry dad."

"Don't apologize to me, I blame your mother," Mr. London stated in a matter of fact, almost bored tone which earning a smack on the shoulder from his wife.

"I'm not sure how you expect us to simply produce a grandchild simply because you want one mother." Sephiroth pressed softly, his eyes showing his growing annoyance but his features remaining calm and respectful to his mother. Cloud took this opportunity to help. "Unless we adopt. He's right: guys can't have kids."

"_Hel-lllo! _Beautiful baby girl grandchild, just resting over here! Ready to be spoiled rotten!" Ri called out again, looking bemused.

"Now just hold on a moment," DiZ began, seeming to go into heavy thought as he put his hand under his chin, stroking it a little, everyone once again ignoring Rikku's call. "If given the right conditions--such as a male having a fair amount of estrogen, whether it be naturally or implemented and the body was receptive to such a large intake…and of course, given the proper reproductive organs…"

"We'd all kindly appreciate if you'd stop trying to get every male in this room pregnant dad," Cloud announced with a groan and DiZ glanced at him slightly indignant. "I wasn't trying to get _every _man in the room pregnant, Cloud. Just you."

"And how do you just _'magically' _assume I'd have to be the one to carry the baby!" Cloud snapped insulted which caused every London male in the room to grunt a little and arch their brow, looking amused and all knowing.

"It's obvious that…the more _dominate_ partner in the relationship would not take the feminine role in the child birthing process," Mr. London announced matter of factly. If one didn't know better, there was a glint of pride in those golden eyes of his.

"I _**have**_ a baby already!" Ri cried out. "This _**isn't**_ an issue people!"

"Now now, we don't know if Cloud is the…submissive in the relation Xenohart," DiZ frowned, glaring at the platinum blond, who in turned, began to chuckle softly at the mere thought of Cloud being otherwise.

"Stop ignoring me!" Ri pouted and Axel took the moment to come over and pat her hand in mock sympathy, making her and Vincent glare at him.

"It doesn't matter who's doing what because I'm _**not**_ having a baby," Cloud snapped, completely annoyed now (and blushing as Sephiroth stared at him intently) and Mrs. London simply put her nose in the air, looking annoyed. "Fine. I'm sure Riku and Sora would love to give their mothers a grandchild. Because _they_ apparently _care_ about our happiness more."

"Apparently," Sephiroth muttered low, but not enough for his mother not to hear him as she kindly pinched his shoulder, glaring at him annoyed. "Mother…"

"Don't sass me young man," she warned in a stern tone, glaring at him in a challenging manner and Sephiroth simply adverted his eyes to a wall, backing down.

"Well that's a new one," Zack joked, folding his arms over his chest and smirking at Sephiroth--until the latter began to glare maliciously at him and Zack found that looking at the beautiful Aerith was a far better and safer thing to do.

Meanwhile, Riku and Sora quickly glared at one another, the brunette blushing several different shades or crimson before they both looked at Mrs. London. "Mother, Sora and I--we're not--and how did--"

"If we do, Riku is having the baby," Sora announced quickly and Riku rounded on him with a look that clearly stated he was delusion. "Sora, you're the--"

"You have the longer hair and girly face," Sora challenged, not even letting the youth finish his sentence as Riku glared at him, opening his mouth to retort but Mrs. Madison cut him.

"It doesn't matter to us which one of you have our grandbaby, as long as one of you do it," she beamed, taking both boys into her arms and hugging them, Riku taking the opportunity to pull a stand of Sora's mane roughly, eliciting a small growl of pain in protest.

"So Vincent," Ri announced as loudly as she possibly could to grab everyone's attention. "I love how everyone was coming in here, you know, to see the baby and fawn over the baby and shower the baby with gifts, love and admiration? Yet somehow, it's just become a room of overcrowded people talking about my loser brothers getting married and having their own babies."

"No need to get your panties in a twist sis," Cloud joked, coming over to his sister's side and carefully, took the baby into his arms, holding her protectively as Sephiroth came to his side and stared down at the adorable, sleeping face.

"She's pale," he announced matter of factly.

"She's suppose to be," Vincent responded smoothly, watching the pair with his precious bundle closely.

"Fair enough," Cloud shrugged slightly, smiling down at his niece before looking at his sister. "What did you two decided to name her?"

Ri smiled proudly, making a great display in puffing her chest out while Vincent answered, never taking his eyes off of his child.

"Sora," he announced simply as Cloud brought the baby back over to him, gently handing the small bundle over. The relief on his face was quite evident, even if it was flashed for only a moment and Ri almost snorted as she watched him. "Daddy's girl."

"I have no qualm with that," he muttered softly, staring lovingly at the small bundle as Ri rolled her eyes and continued. "Her full name is Sora Veronica Valentine."

"You gave her my name?" Sora asked curiously and Ri gave him a thumbs up. "I wanted to name her after you since you helped me so much when I was pregnant and match the Cloud's. Get it?" Then she looked thoughtful for a moment, thumping her index finger on her temple.

"Plus, since Riku is named Riku and I am too, I thought it would be funny to have two 'Soras' as well. And just like her mom, she'll be totally hotter and the most awesome of the pair."

"Your jealously astounds me Ri," Riku smirked and she just rolled her eyes.

"It's alright that you've never seen a baby this beautiful before. I'm astounded too." she stated proudly, beaming at Vincent who gave a light chuckle before he gently passed the baby to her mother, the crimson eyed beauty staring at both of his girls with a love that a man could only hold for his child and lover. "I must agree, I don't believe anyone else could make such a wondrous life form."

"Then feast your eyes on the sexiness that is myself and Roxy," Axel smirked and Roxas slowly turned his head toward him and gave him a glare that seemed to ask _'Why do you talk?'. _

Ri looked unimpressed, giving him a quick up and down then looked back her baby, immediately beaming. "Like I said: I'm astounded by my baby's beauty too."

"Oh my dearest Ri," Axel began in a gentleman like tone. "Fu--"

He flinched as Mrs. London smacked him hard on the back of his head, the red head grabbing the spot in pain and muttering a curse in protest anyway, earning him a harder smack in the back of the head from Mrs. Madison and another smack from Mrs. London.

Roxas snorted, amused. The red head had been warned not to curse around the baby or pay the consequences. He wasn't surprised Axel didn't heed the warning. Roxas tilted his head to the side, crossing his arms over his chest and teased. "Axel, your mouth is _filthy_."

"Then maybe you can _clean_ it up for me?" he asked suggestively, giving the boy a rather hungry glance. Everyone simply stared at the red head before Mrs. Madison gave a nod to Mrs. London, who slapped Axel over the head for her. He looked up with question and the two women simply nodded as Mrs. Madison answered, "It may not have been a cuss word per say, but it amounted to the same thing."

"Give me a break," Axel sighed defeated, tossing his hands in the air, and going to sulk in a corner, dragging Roxas with him, who was still laughing at him.

Sora turned his attention back to his sister, beaming with pride and happiness. "Thanks Rikku. You didn't have to."

"Aw shucks, it's fine!" she laughed. "Why not name the baby after the guy that's going to be her permanent babysitter?"

"That makes sen--wait. _**What?**_" Sora snapped bewildered. "When did _**that**_ happen?"

"You're my brother, you have to." she insisted. "But if you like, think of it more like a job rather than a responsibility that everyone will judge you on how well you perform said responsibility. Naturally though, everyone will understandingly despise you if you fail at it," she added with a great big smile and Sora instantly pointed over at Cloud. "He's your brother, he can do it too!"

Cloud looked over at his brother and snorted. "I have a wedding and an imaginary baby to plan for. Your on your own."

As the siblings began to argue, much to the disapproval of their mother and Vincent, Riku tuned his attention to a figure that had appeared in the doorway.

He cast a secretive side glance to the entrance, noticing the stormy eyed Leon glancing around the room, still looking rather upset. His eyes fell first on Cloud as the blond placed Sora in a head lock and began to ruffle his hair as the brunette protested and Ri cheered him on, their mother trying to defuse the situation.

His face seemed to soften lightly as he continued to watch the blond in an almost longing way before they shifted to look to the blond's immediate right. His expression hardened immediately as Mako green eyes watched him closely, casting a rather possessive look at Cloud before glaring back at Leon, giving him an almost mocking smirk.

Leon narrowed his eyes at him in a rather challenging manner before he removed himself from the doorway, storming down the hall.

At this point, Sephiroth politely excused himself, Cloud looking a little confused but simply nodding as the taller male left the room.

Riku frowned a little as he too, quietly made his way out of the room and excused himself.

It didn't take him long to find the pair a few hallways down, facing each other, Leon glaring at the platinum blond with a stoned face expression of defiance while Sephiroth simply watched Leon as if his turmoil greatly amused him.

Riku clung to the wall, keeping out of sight and keeping himself quiet as not to be noticed.

There was a long silence that continued between the pair before finally, Leon spoke.

"I won't let you marry him."

Riku could here a faint chuckle of laughter from his brother. "Do you honestly believe that you have any say over the matter? That you carry any weight over anything pertaining to Cloud?"

There was a small pause before he continued. "If you did, dear Leon, then do you believe he would not be with you as we speak? Would I even have this opportunity to mark him as my own if you were ever a factor?"

"Maybe Cloud can't see it, but whether he was with me or not, you certainly don't deserve him," Leon snapped coldly, his tone even and calm though his anger was apparent. "Your nothing more to Cloud then intrigue. Your interesting to him maybe, but it's nothing long term."

"I see. Then his intrigue must be at such great lengths as to accept a wedding proposal," Sephiroth challenged.

"Your cockiness astounds me Sephiroth," Leon replied dryly. "To the point that you honestly believe that by simply having a wedding proposal means everything will go according to your plans."

Silence.

"There is something there between Cloud and I," he pushed calmly. "And there always will be. No amount of you proposing or even marrying--if it ever gets to that point--Cloud will change what we will always have."

"What you have does not matter," Sephiroth stated and finally it was Leon's turn to chuckle. "Then explain today in the hospital garden Sephiroth."

There was a long silence and Riku frowned lightly as he imagined what that something could have been. Something rather significant if it had managed to make Sephiroth shut up for a moment. Riku almost snorted at the thought. His brother was probably taking the time to carefully choose his words and keeping his anger in check.

"A mistake, _Squall_." The name had been spit out rather nastily. "A mistake that I do not concern myself with. It most _certainly_ won't happen again."

"Are you so certain that it was a mistake, _Sephy_," Leon replied, saying the nickname in a mocking manner. "Because the way his lips felt against mine certain didn't seem to say--"

There was a loud sound and grunting as Riku heard someone hit the wall. Not being able to stop himself, he immediately looked around the corner to see Sephiroth had the brunette pinned to the wall, though Leon didn't look intimidated in the least. He carried a defiant, almost amused air about him, knowing he'd gotten under Sephiroth's skin.

Sephiroth leaned in rather close and Riku couldn't make out a word that he said to Leon but once he was finished, Leon only glared at him, still defiant and simply said in a quiet, cold tone. "We'll seen then, won't we? Because this is _far_ from over."

Sephiroth simply released him and Leon landed on his feet, Riku not even realizing his brother had picked the brunette up off the ground. The pair only glared at one another for a moment before Leon smoothly walked away, heading toward one of the exits of the hospital.

Sephiroth watched him leave, a cold expression on his face before without facing him, he stated. "Come out Riku, I know your there."

The platinum blond blinked before rolling his eyes a bit and coming out. "What was that about."

"None of your concern," Sephiroth stated in a calm, cold manner, staring at his younger brother with an unreadable expression before he added. "Do you not have your own things to concern yourself with? With the naïve one?"

Riku frowned. "He's not that bad Sephiroth."

Sephiroth gave a soft chuckle. " I heard your little commotion in the waiting room Riku. The boy is just as fool heartedly as he was then. He will never change."

"Your wrong. Sora isn't as trusting as he was before thanks to her," Riku frowned, defending him and Sephiroth only stared with his cold eyes but said nothing. He didn't have to. Riku knew Sephiroth didn't believe a word he'd said.

"And what are your thoughts, young brother?"

Riku simply shrugged. "Kairi's locked up and is getting put under the jail. What else is there?"

Sephiroth gave another soft chuckle, though this one in ridicule, before he pivoted on his heels and headed back into the room, pausing only when he was reaching for the door knob.

"Always expect the unexpected or you are doomed to be prey for the predators traps. A lesson you must know and a lesson he must learn or misery is sure to follow." was all he said before he disappeared back into the room, shutting the door behind him. Riku frowned, glaring at the spot his brother once stood.

Sephiroth had to be joking. There was no way in hell Kairi was going to do anything to him or Sora anymore…

"…Doesn't think very highly of me, does he," the brunette in question asked quietly and Riku turned around to see Sora standing behind him, a fresh cup of cocoa in each hand, offering one up to him immediately with a smile.

Riku looked guilty. "Sora…"

"Your brother is a harsh critic Ku, I'm not surprised really," Sora insisted then he shook his head. "I can't really say that I blame him either. I've made some questionable choices in the past when it came to Kairi."

"Everyone makes mistakes Sora," he replied lightly as he finally took the cup and Sora nodded a little before looking directly in Riku's eyes. "I won't let her hurt us again Riku."

Silence.

"You got hurt so badly because of my those mistakes." Sora looked guilty and little sheepish. "I never realized how much you'd meant to me until then, Riku. When I thought about not having you in my life anymore--when I thought I'd honestly lost you--I couldn't bare it. Nothing else mattered--or would matter--if you weren't here with me."

Riku smirked, touched and Sora rolled his eyes, giving a sheepish laugh. "I know I sound like a girl, but erm, all I mean is, no matter what happens anymore at this point Riku, I won't let her or anyone hurt us like that ever again. I know better this time. It's my turn to protect you this time."

Riku snorted and careful not hit Sora's arms and waste his or Sora's drink, took the boy in his arms. "Then we've got a problem because I've already vowed to protect you better this time Sora."

"Then we'll just have to protect each other and see what happens," the brunette laughed, resting his head on his shoulder.

There was a pause between the two of them before Riku added in a joking manner "Your still having the baby if our moms try to experiment on us."

"You're the one that looks better in the dress, Riku," Sora sighed contently and laughed as he pulled away quickly and dodged the pinch that was aimed at his side, spilling their cocoa and slipping right into the wall as he tried to run, both teens laughing at his fall.

Neither noticed the pair of eyes watching them through a sliver of a crack in the doorway.

"They'll be fine."

"Perhaps. But I will always be watching them. For Riku's sake."

* * *

She sat Indian style on the large red couch, slightly leaning from side to side as if she were nervous, nipping at her index finger.

They both knew she wasn't nervous.

It was more like a habit really.

They said her love--or rather obsession--was a habit too. One that she needed to break in order to get well.

Ocean blue eyes watched as her 'doctor' finally took a seat across from her, not acknowledging her existence as he began to make his header and small notes before their daily session began.

He didn't understand none of the people that were suppose to be helping her did.

But then again, the person she was trying to protect, that she was so very deeply in love with--he didn't understand it either. Not that he was trying…that bastard had clouded his judgment too much. But it didn't matter. Everything would be fine…because she hadn't given up on him. She never would.

She was going to save him from that bastard even if she had to kill him to do it.

* * *

_**Author's Notes:**_  
_Nothing really, other then I'm happy I've finished revising the chapters I wanted to. Now I can focus on newer chapters for the story after the Kairi one. That chapter won't be revised at all, as I like it the way it is. Not really much more to say, other then as always: Happy Reading!_

_~Kamirine_


	4. Chapter Three: Step in the Right Direct

_**Author's Notes:  
**Nothing changed in this chapter at all, except it's now chapter three instead of two. If you haven't read this chapter already, then please enjoy! If you have already and haven't read the revised previous chapters and you have the free time, go for it. Not much else to say other then enjoy!  
_

_**Sephiroth's Guide to Marriage and Revenge**_**  
Chapter Three: **_A Step in the Right Direction--According to Kairi Logic_

She sat Indian style on the large red couch, slightly leaning from side to side as if she were nervous, nipping at her index finger.

They both knew she wasn't nervous.

It was more like a habit really.

They said her love--or rather obsession--was a habit too. One that she needed to break in order to get well.

Ocean blue eyes watched as her 'doctor' finally took a seat across from her, not acknowledging her existence as he began to make his header and small notes before their daily session began.

He didn't understand, but then, none of the people that were suppose to be helping her did.

And even still, the person she was trying to protect, that she was so very deeply in love with--he didn't understand it either. Not that he was trying…that bastard had clouded his judgment too much. But it didn't matter. Everything would be fine…because she hadn't given up on him. She never would.

She was going to save him from that bastard even if she had to kill said bastard to do it…

An eternity seemed to fly by, with Kairi simply glaring at the young man sitting across from her in his chair.

His name--or rather last name, since it was the one he went by--was Lamprin. He had a slender, almost lanky frame, with bright hazel eyes and chestnut hair that was shoulder length, in a short low ponytail. He wore a pair of square spectacles, a plain white button up shirt and black slack pants with nice boots to match.

The first day he'd started their sessions, he'd actually taken the time to explain a little about himself--not that Kairi had paid much attention--but she did know that she was one of his very first patients and that he was good at pretending to 'care' about her issues. Not the cold, barely speaking psychiatrist she'd first visited with, whose office was next to this one.

She snorted. They probably assumed giving her a 'hip doctor' would help her 'express her inner most secrets and feelings' better.

It only made her want to gag.

She continued to stare at him, offering an almost sarcastically polite smile when he looked up for a brief moment, offering the young girl a smile before he continued to write his notes and she in turn, began humming a light tune she vaguely recalled. What was it? Simple and Gleam? Or maybe Clean…something like that.

It was another five minutes and she'd actually began saying the words of the song that she could remember softly to herself before she focused those bright blue orbits of hers in a narrowed fashion at him, giving a deep sigh and leaning back on the soft red cushions in a more comfortable manner.

She didn't like being ignored. And it wasn't like this guy to ignore her. And while she didn't like him--why should she, he was one of _them_--she didn't like him to ignore her existence either. She was getting enough of that as it was lately.

She looked around the room for seemingly the millionth time, pausing to see a small mirror hung on the wall. She actually smiled at the sight of it--she wasn't allowed a mirror in her 'room'.

Her fiery red hair was down, a little longer than it had been a few months ago. She'd like to put it up in a pony tail but she wasn't 'allowed' the luxury of such things like 'scrunches' or hair pins.

Her captors--that's what she'd liked to call them--refused to let her or any of the inhabitants of this wonderful establishment have any such items, afraid that they might hurt themselves.

Kairi scuffed at the thought.

Hurting herself was the furthest thing from her mind, though she could admit that she could understand where they might have gotten the idea…when she's first arrived she, hadn't been exactly 'calm'.

But that's the problem with these people: they mistook her 'anger' for 'crazy', considering they put her in that jacket contraption twice:

The first time had been when she'd first arrived. She'd been angry, but she felt she had every right to be. She'd been attacked--_**attacked**_--by a madman with a sword and as far as she'd come to know at that point, there wasn't a damn thing anyone was going to do about it. Meanwhile, Riku hadn't died, which meant she failed to separate him from Sora, who he was probably with, laughing it up while she was being dragged off to spend the rest of her life in some form of pillowed encased hell.

Yeah.

_That_ was something _not_ to be angry about at all.

The second time happened when she was being escorted out of the court house…if she could remember the place correctly. Then she'd seen Sora. The sight of him alone was enough to brighten her mood for at least two seconds before it was shattered by the image of Riku…

…with Sora.

Riku and Sora.

_**Together.**_

Rubbing it in her face.

Again, who could blame her for being a little angry at that?

She shifted in her seat again, grunting a little as she unfolded her legs from underneath her and sprawled out on the couch, laying her head on the arm of it. She gave a content sigh, feeling a little more relaxed despite the situation and let her mind wonder to visions of chocolate hair and shining sapphire eyes.

She could feel her heart beating a little faster and pain swelling in her chest. Her eyes began to water slightly as she thought of that beautiful bright smile, the gentle touch of his hands when they took hers…the sweet way he'd always pick her up when they hugged and twirl her around…

That Sora was probably only a distant memory now.

Because of h--

"…And you're thinking about him again."

A simple remark, more than a question. Though she was positive she hadn't heard the first part of his introduction.

She didn't bother replying however, considering she knew the session had finally begun and she'd be doing more than enough talking soon enough. Besides, this guy seemed love running his mouth--part of his job she assumed, though she could have sworn it was suppose to be listening to her problems.

Dr. Lamprin gave her a sympathetic smile before he continued softly, "You always look sad when you think of him."

He had such a soft, kind voice and Kairi would be lying if she didn't admit to herself that she loved hearing it…it reminded her of Sora's. But then, so did his hair color.

Though it appeared he was just as observant as he was talkative. Part of his job too, she guessed.

She stayed quite for a moment longer, debating on rather she actually wanted to speak yet. She really wasn't in the mood for this today but then again, she knew the consequence if she didn't.

She'd tried refusing to talk the very first day of her sessions and he simply kept probing her. Her sessions were only suppose to last a few hours--five to be exact--but right at the end, he'd simply left the room and locked it behind him.

She'd been relieved and a little smug honestly considering she figured she'd won this little bought of wills and maybe they'd get it through their heads that she didn't wish to speak to anyone that didn't understand her.

But then he'd come back and let her know the 'good' news that he cancelled his other sessions and he'd be spending the rest of the day with her.

That had certainly gotten her to speak, as she'd demanded to know if he could even _do _that, to which he'd happily told her he could.

Or apparently, when money spoke for her, in the form of her parents, he could. That and whomever the people where that were suppose to take up the next few sessions pretty much excluded themselves: one had snapped on a guard and been put in solitary, and the other had come down with some kind of sickness and wouldn't be able to make it anyway. So instead of going home like a normal person, he got paid into sticking around and annoying her.

And after the fact, her parents had politely let her know that said extra hours weren't cheap and they would not tolerate her behavior. She'd almost laughed in their faces. They were still trying to pretend to be parents even though she was in an institute that practically took care of that for them. Interesting…

"You know Kairi, it may not be very healthy to be thinking of Sora right now," the young man finally added as he studied her intently. "You always seem to get upset and--"

"He's a good memory," she snapped, glaring at him again as if he should have known that. He only nodded and jotted down some notes. She rolled her eyes. "I would think you'd like to encourage me to think about him. There's nothing wrong with Sora. It's _Riku_! _Riku_ is what makes any memories of Sora bad! Because he ruined everything!"

"I see," he nodded, as if he was learning something new, still writing notes before he paused and looked at her. "And do you honestly feel it's fair to blame him for everything?"

"Well duh!" she snapped again, laughing a little.

"For every single repercussion you've faced thus far?" he asked calmly, still writing notes.

She gave him a hateful look and made her new favorite hand gesture at him, which he saw and frowned deeply at. "Telling me to 'go screw myself' isn't going help matters Kairi."

"But it does make me fell better, and that's what this is all about, right?" she asked in mock happiness before he sighed. "It's still not very polite Kairi. I'm only trying to help you."

She shrugged. "I wouldn't have done it if it was, _sir_." The final word had been spoken sarcastically. "And yes, I do blame Riku for everything that has happened so far."

"And why is that Kairi?" he probed, watching her with interest and Kairi muttered something rude under her breath.

If stupidity were air, she'd have to believe he was taking more than his fair share.

They had been through this…_several times _even…and for some silly reason he always insisted going over it again like she'd never explained herself the first, second, or third time.

"I already told you."

"And I have to admit, I still don't quite comprehend your answer, forgive me," he stated softly, looking at her deeply in the eyes.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. What she couldn't comprehend was why it was so hard for anyone to understand her feelings about the situation. What had honestly happened and the injustice she was suffering because of it. But if she just had to explain it again, than she would. It wasn't like she could go anywhere for a few hours anyway.

"Riku stole Sora from me," she stated simply before glaring at him in discontent. "But then, I described that to you before, remember?"

He caught the biting tone on the last word she spoke and nodded. "Yes Kairi, I do remember you mentioning something about that."

"Good. Then we're making progress," she replied sarcastically with a curt nod and smug smirk before she continued, looking instantly bitter. "He made me do what I did. He made me take such drastic measures…he made me hurt Sora."

"…Made you Kairi?" he probed sounding slightly confused but writing her words down none the less.

"He knew," she mumbled, looking at her fingers as she began to twiddle them together gently. "He knew exactly how I felt about Sora. It wasn't like it was a big secret…Selphie knew. So did Wakka. Even Tidus figured it out and he's as dumb as a post."

"Perhaps he just missed all the signs." he reasoned and she shook her head in defiance. "Riku's a manipulative little bastard. And you can't be stupid if your good at manipulation right?"

"I suppose not," the therapist muttered softly as he jotted down the new notes. Kairi nodded. "Then he knew."

"But do you think your actions were the correct course Kairi?"

"Yes."

"Why is that?"

She sighed. She didn't feel like speaking with him anymore but she was more then aware she wouldn't be going anywhere until he was satisfied with her answers. Not like it was going to matter in the end. By the next session, he would ask here these same questions, maybe presented in a different matter but overall, the same questions would resurface.

She was beginning to think that he was looking for some sort of answer…maybe remorse for what she'd done to Riku. She snorted at the mere idea. She would never feel guilt for what she'd done to him…if anything, she was sorry she hadn't managed to fully kill him, though she had to admit, it was for the best. Sora would otherwise hate her even more than he probably did now if she had succeeded.

And even though she knew it would be nearly impossible to get the brunette to ever like her again…she couldn't help but hold out a slim glimmer of hope for both of them. If she were to be honest with herself, she was just hoping they could still be some form of friends. She didn't need to be his girlfriend anymore…not even she was that delusional enough to think that could happen now, even if she was still very much in love with him.

That however, did not mean she was still 'okay' with him dating that son of bi--

"Kairi?"

She snapped out of her thoughts and looked up at her therapist with cold eyes. He was watching her again, those hazel eyes of his harder to read than normal. "Are you ready to answer now?"

"Do I have a choice?" Kairi muttered, more to herself rather than answering the therapist.

"…Not really, no." he admitted jokingly and she glared hard at him before she finally continued.

"I did what I had to do to save Sora," she began sternly. "Sora is nice. Too nice. Naïve. He's easy to manipulate--easy to control. Riku knows that and he understands it better than anyone. And he uses that against Sora. He always has."

"And how does he do that Kairi?"

"He confuses Sora all the time," Kairi explained. "And sometimes, everyone around him. He plays the victim a lot too: "Oh that Kairi, she's such a bitch! She's doing this, she's doing that! Oh won't someone please help me?!" He's always trying to make me seem like the bad guy."

"And why would he feel the need to do that Kairi?" he questioned softly and she shrugged. "I think it makes it easier for him to keep Sora. If everyone else hates me and gangs up on me, then it makes him seem right…like I am some sort of villain that Sora should hate.

"Like when he and Sora broke up the first time because a friend of mine kissed him."

"Which 'him'?"

"Sora him," Kairi quickly explained, annoyed with being interpreted. "I got blamed for that because Zexion--that's the guy that kissed Sora--got upset with me. So he decided to team up with my cousin and frame me."

"Your cousin?"

"Axel," she replied darkly, instantly thinking of the red head. "He lives--lived with me. We haven't gotten along these past few months…but I think it's because of Riku. I think he got to him too…"

She paused, actually looking a little sad for a moment, playing with her fingers again. The flaming red head with emerald eyes…she'd really hurt him. Well maybe she didn't directly but she'd caused it. She'd hurt him the same way she'd hurt Sora. Kairi's gaze shifted to a nearby window.

She'd be lying if she didn't admit that she'd taken some joy seeing Axel knocked down a few pegs--staying in his room, moping around, completely shutting everyone and everything out of his life. Feeling the anger, the loneliness the depression she'd felt when Sora had confronted her on the beach with Riku.

Axel had done that. He'd caused most of it by making Zexion talk. He'd deserved what happened to him in her mind. But…still…

"Your thoughts," the Dr. Lamprin asked politely, staring at Kairi intently, actually pausing in his note writing before he continued. "What are your feelings and thoughts about this 'Axel' person. You've never mentioned him before in our sessions Kairi."

She paused a moment longer to go through her memories to realize he was right, she didn't remember ever bringing Axel up in a conversation. Odd, considering she was sure she'd mentioned the entire incident with Zexion and the tape recorder… "I guess I haven't."

"Not at all," he nodded then continued. "What did he have to do with this situation?"

She laughed bitterly. "Everything. He set the entire thing up. I mean…he's the one that got Zexion to say that I was blackmailing him or something. To prove that I'd set the kiss between him and Sora up so Riku would get upset and break up with him. I'm not really sure why Axel did it. I think it was because I was joking around with his boyfriend about something…just playing. Then I dunno. I guess Riku said something to him and they decided to set me up."

"And were you angry at Axel?"

"Of course I was angry," she muttered miserably. "He'd ruined everything with Sora and I…we were so close to being together I think. I just…wanted to get even. So he'd feel the way I felt. I didn't think he'd get too hurt. I didn't know…"

'_Just **how** insane our professor was that insane,' _Kairi admitted, thinking of the yellowed eyed demon that used to be a teacher at her high school. Had she known just _how _much of a monster he really was, not even she would have put Axel through that.

Now Riku--of course! Without any question, stupid son of a bitch deserved it. But Axel…Axel was family. And you don't hurt family. Not like that…even if she thought she should have at the time.

"You hurt your cousin badly Kairi, didn't you."

A statement, not a question.

She simply nodded lightly and continued. "He…this guy hurt Axel pretty badly because I set him up with…'lessons'. I forged the signature of my parents giving the guy permission to 'teach' him. I knew the professor had previous mental issues but--I swear--I didn't know how bad it actually was!" she insisted, in fear of not being believed. Doctor Lamprin said nothing, so she continued.

"Axel wouldn't come out of his room or talk to anyone after it happened. He was miserable and felt really alone. Used…worthless." She looked down at her feet. "Axel is usually really strong willed and it was…I mean I was happy at first to see him so broken up but after a while…once I really thought about it, I felt really horrible for what I'd done."

There was a brief moment of silence before he finally asked, "Why did you do something like that knowingly then Kairi?"

"Dunno," she admitted softly. "He'd really hurt me with helping Riku so I thought he deserved what he got. But my mom was so upset and dad was too and it made me sad to see them so helpless cause they really wanted to help him. And I know I had something to do with it--but I couldn't say anything because it was my fault. And at the time I admit…I wasn't exactly too sad about his situation.

"But now that I think about it, Axel…he's really not so bad. He used to visit when I was younger and then he came to live with us shortly after Sora left because he kept getting into trouble. My mom thought it would be a great way to help him out. And at first we didn't really get along but then he started treating me more like a bratty little sister than an enemy…"

Kairi felt a pull at her heart she usually didn't feel unless she thought about Sora and she honestly didn't understand why she felt this strong sense of…remorse…for Axel. He'd brought this on himself and deserved it, that's what she told herself. And yes, she did feel horrible now about the entire ordeal but…why so strongly? It wasn't like she and Axel were getting along that well at the time and he probably would try to erupt her into flames on sight. But still…

She remembered those strong emerald eyes filled with sorrow and pain and anger. Confusion and guilt…the endless nights of her mother sitting by his door, praying he would just open it up finally and come out and talk to them.

The one time she kept standing outside of his bedroom door when her parents had gone out to dinner. A triumphant smirk on her face as she listened to the soft mutters from his rooms and pounced on him insults after she'd heard him whisper that he felt 'worthless.

She called him filthy and told him that he'd actually deserved what Saix had done to him. That he really was worthless, why else would his parents ship him off to Destiny Island? That he was nothing more than Saix's whore, his play thing.

She'd been hoping he'd snap and try to attack her, just so she could run and tell her parents and hopefully get him shipped off, ironically, to a place just like the one she was in now.

But her cousin Axel…he hadn't said a word. Not a mumbling word of protest or anger to her. She only paused when she could have sworn she heard him…but Axel wasn't one for tears. Certainly, he had those odd almond shaped tattoos under his eyes but to actually begin to cry?

Never the less, it was enough to make her stop insulting him and go to her room. And it was the first time she'd ever felt…bad…for what she'd done to him. If only for a brief moment of sleeplessness that night.

She blinked the memories out of her mind and began to continue her explanation.

"…Selphie was around but I'd messed up there too. I convinced her to break up with her boyfriend because he'd sided with Riku about the whole Sora incident. I was mad at Tidus so I wanted to get him where it hurt and Selphie was his 'kryptonite'.

"Neither knew until recently that I'd done it but after she broke up with the guy I set her up with and Tidus--he wouldn't talk to her anymore. He'd barely look at her, he'd been so hurt. Selphie always smiled and made a show of things but it was really killing her inside and she wasn't the best of friends because of it.

"So I really came to appreciate Axel," she admitted finally. Not only to the psychiatrist, but to herself, which surprised her.

"Wakka, Tidus--they were my friends but then they sided with Riku so we weren't really all that close anymore. Selphie was hung up about Tidus. Riku goes without question and Sora had moved away. Axel was all I really had.

"We went to fairs, we hung out after school and he helped with my homework, he taught me how to play video games better-- he even watched the first season of American Idol with me every night it came on, even though I knew he despised it after the first three episodes!

"And then he betrayed me…just like that…and I had to get even right? It was the only right thing to do considering what he'd cost me.

"I knew what that guy could do to him…and I just let it happen because I thought he was my enemy. That he needed to learn to not mess with me--that he should get what he had coming. Then Roxas…his boyfriend…he kept snooping around and got himself kidnapped by the same guy and I told Axel because I wanted information about what everyone was doing…they were ganging up on me…and and…he got hurt. Bad. Really badly."

She paused, remembering even in her state of mind of feeling cold and empty and alone…even when she felt like Axel was her enemy…she'd felt remorse after that. So much so that she'd gone up to the hospital when no one was around just to see him. He'd been asleep-which was fine, she preferred it honestly-and she'd…well she'd apologized to him. It felt like the best thing to do, even if they'd never like each other again and everything, all the hatred and loathing, were to come back five minutes from that point (which it did), she could admit to the remorse she felt for her cousin.

"I hurt him…like he never meant anything to me…like he was less than nothing…"

She let her words falter as they sank in, her eyes almost bulging out as if she'd finally had some sort of realization.

She'd hurt Axel…she'd hurt quite a few people…but she'd done it for a good reason right? Sora was the best reason in the world to do anything. He was such a good person, he deserved the best in a lover…

"…and that's not me."

"Excuse me?" the young man sitting across from her asked, still watching her intently and hanging on her every word.

"Sora," she sighed sadly, letting the tears she'd been holding back for a good long time now form in the corners of her eyes. "He doesn't deserve me."

After a good moment of silence, with the red head trying to hold back her sobs and the doctor simply writing down everything she'd said, looking up every once and a while to ensure she would be alright, he finally spoke up again. "Why do you believe that Kairi? You seemed to be so confident about the two of you being together before now. Why the chan--"

"Sora deserves to be with someone great," she announced, cutting him off. " He needs someone way better than me. Someone perfect. Just like he is. That's not me. I hurt Sora…I hurt Axel. Two people I know I actually love and care about. Maybe it was because I really wanted to help Sora--I love Sora and all I ever wanted was to protect him from harm. But I hurt him just to do it and maybe…I should have thought about what that could have done to him…"

She looked up at the doctor, her tears no longer holding themselves back and he put his pen and pad down, crossing the room to get her tissue. But she continued to speak. "That night…when…after…Riku replica…after that _thing _hurt him. He looked at me. He saw me. And I've never seen Sora look so hurt. He was in pain that night because of me but the way he looked at me once he realized what I'd done…that I was just sitting there, rocking myself into delusions that everything would be okay because what was happening to him needed to because it would help him…it looked like he'd died.

"He loved me…maybe not the way I wanted him to… but something was there. Maybe like a sister," she continued, taking the entire box and holding up a few pieces of tissue to her eyes. "But he really cared about me and he trusted me and I let him down. I betrayed him. I'd…killed a part of Sora and I was selfish for doing it."

Then she felt her blood boil instantly as she thought of the reasoning behind everything she'd done and her eyes seemed to darken as a scowl entered her face and the tears continued to fall. "I only wanted to save him from Riku. I know I'm right--he's no good for Sora. He _**can't **_be…_**no way **_he is! Maybe what I did to Sora _was_ wrong. And it _was_ selfish and I understand that! But I did the best thing I could think of because I knew it _would_ help Sora in the long run! We could be together and Sora could be happy without Riku. Everything should have been alright…but then he saw me…because even Riku's replica hates me…it told him I was there…and he saw me…"

"Then what did you do," Doctor Lamprin asked softly, watching the girl with an unreadable expression.

"I…hurt someone again," she admitted with a sigh, the tears lightening up but still falling. "Namine`. I used her guilt about someone she really cared about to get her to help me erase Sora's memories of the incident."

"So you wouldn't get caught?"

She started to snap at him but then she quickly shut her mouth and nodded. There was no point of lying about it anymore. No more delusions. If she was going to get Sora back, she couldn't trick herself anymore. And this was a start.

"I also thought it would help him," she admitted. "That part I didn't lie to Namine` about. Yes, I was mostly being selfish because I didn't _want_ him to hate me or to tell anyone what I'd done because no one would understand what I was thinking or doing to help him.

"If he didn't remember the pain or hurt, then he wouldn't look so dead inside…the same way he looked after he saw me."

"And if he hadn't seen you?" he poked and she gave a bitter laugh. "I wouldn't have taken his memories…I would have let him think that Riku had raped him and he would hate Riku forever. Just like he hates me now."

"But wouldn't that have still hurt Sora?" he asked sadly and Kairi laughed a little. "I would have made him forget about Riku on my own. I would have been the perfect girlfriend--I would have bent over backwards to make him happy after that. Riku would be in jail and a distant memory to Sora. I would have put his pieces back together and made him whole again.

"But he saw me so I had to make him forgot about Riku…and that was okay, he thought we were going out so in a way, I still won right? But then everyone--Riku turned everyone against me!"

She felt her cheeks flush red as her anger rose at the mere thought of how everyone confronted her. "Selphie, my best friend. Namine`. Tidus, Wakka and his girlfriend witch Lulu. Sora's sister and brother. Axel, Roxas, Zexion helped them and so did Riku's older brother--they all ganged up on me and after they were done, Sora hated me.

"I tried to talk to him, I tried to explain my hatred for Riku and how I felt about everything. About him. But then Riku _had_ to come barge in and ruin even _that_! He just wouldn't give up, he wouldn't rest! He'd won--_**WON**_ damn it! And he just wouldn't stop! I just wanted him to quit, I _**HAD**_ to make him stop!"

There was a moment of silence that followed as she began to calm herself down and the doctor continued to write his notes before he finally asked. "And then?"

"And then I did the only thing I could think of to get rid of Riku once and for all. To get him out of my life as well as Sora's! But he lived through it and he's _**still**_ with Sora! He still has a person that's far too good for him! He doesn't deserve Sora, he'll never deserve Sora and I refuse to let him have Sora!

"_**He. Can't. Have HIM!" **_she screamed finally, throwing the box of tissue at the wall, aiming it no where near the doctor who flinched none the less but attempted to remain calm.

"Kairi--!"

"I…I won't hurt you," she admitted with a faint, almost sad yet crazy smile. "You haven't betrayed me right? You haven't hurt me? So I can't hurt you. I only hurt the people that hurt me first."

"And those that don't?"

"Every crime needs an innocent bystander right?" she sobbed softly, thinking instantly of Sora and Namine`. "Without them, it wouldn't be a 'real' crime, right?"

Silence. Complete and utter silence greeted her as the pair stared at one another, the red head calming herself down a little while her therapist studied her intently with unease at her last statement. It remained this way for what seemed to Kairi like forever as her mind completely wondered from one scattered place to the next, all coming back to that same conclusion: she had to get Riku out of Sora's life.

For good.

And even if she wasn't able to fulfill the whim right now…there had to be another way. There had to be something she could do to get the bastard away from Sora.

Precious Sora.

_**Her**_ Sora…

"I think we should end the session for today early Kairi," Doctor Lamprin finally announced, offering the girl a faint smile. "You seem very upset and I really think you should get some rest before we continue, same time tomorrow?"

She only nodded solemnly before he offered her a warm smile and headed for the exit, locking the door behind him before he departed with his notes. Kairi sighed deeply before she started wondering around the room absently, thinking of ways she could keep the pair apart. She new there were guards with keys sitting right outside the door, so if she tried to 'harm' herself, they'd be running in to stop her.

Again: that was never her intention to harm herself. Only Riku.

'There has to be a way out,' she thought angrily to herself before she started hearing the voices. One angry, one calm, both low.

And Kairi snorted. Well _**that's**_ exactly what she needed to start doing in a place like this: hearing _voices_. But as she listened closer, she knew it was coming from the room adjacent to the right wall. The same room her old therapy lessons used to be in.

'_No surprise there's an argument,' _she thought almost amused as without really thinking about it, she tip toed her way up to the wall and put her ear firmly against it, listening intently to the words coming from it. _'He was always making me upset too, with his snid--'_

"…can stop me." a voice rang in, cutting off her thoughts. It was cool, calculating, precise. And it unnerved her because she knew that voice…she couldn't remember why but she knew that voice… "The boy is still defiant and needs to be disciplined. He still needs my special brand of undivided attention."

"But don't you realize that your hurting--"

"Axel was fine with my teachings," the cut in with a bored tone, serious tone. "I gave him exactly what he needs. What he deserves. I showed him is place in the world and he excepted it. And he will again...it won't be long."

"Y-Your sick!" the voice she recognized to be her old psychiatrist, Doctor Cox yelled and Kairi gasped as she heard something get knocked over and a few grunts and gargles before she heard a dry, unbalanced tone announce "And did you think a stick of a man like _you _could defend him? _**Nothing**_ can keep me away from my prey. No one will stop me from taking him…molding him…making him a perfect image of my design. Not this place, not those people that defended him, but _especially_, not the likes of _you_."

She heard more gargling and a large thump before she heard a larger commotion as the door to the room the pair were in was broken in to and several thumps-- he must have been tackled to the ground--followed by screams and yells.

When she heard the movement shift, she ran as quickly as she could to the door, peering out of the small window just in time to see who had been carted out.

It was a tall man with brilliant blue hair and wild eyes, blood splattered on his face as a fanged smile crept through his curled lips, which were forming an insane smirk. Her own eyes widened as she recognized him immediately and she practically jumped as those eyes shifted in her direction.

Without even thinking she ducked down, almost afraid of what might happen if he saw her…

"Tell him!" she heard him roar with amusement, through the grunts of the men trying to restrain him and cart him off. "Tell him that I'm coming for him Mrs. Doss! And that I'll stomp that defiant fire of his out for good!"

She heard more struggling as she inched herself away from the door, realization hitting her.

Axel…cousin Axel…_her_ cousin Axel. He still wanted him--he was still coming after him. Her mind went numb for a moment as she remembered the look on Axel's face…the dead eyes…the hurt expressions and the image instantly morphed into Sora.

They were the same…exactly the same. Maybe the person was different, a replica and an insane professor…but there wasn't a different in what she'd done to them and how they'd felt. He was exactly like Sora. Too much like Sora's.

She closed her eyes tightly, trying to shut the image out. Not again. Never again…

Roxas was Axel's boyfriend and Sora's cousin--who Sora cared about deeply. And Axel was also Sora's friend…so he'd never forgive her if she let this happen to Axel again. There would be no way he'd believe she could be a better woman, that they could be friends, that she could change…

She heard words spoken to her as she was taken by the arms and led out of the room, not listening to a word that was spoken to her as she couldn't help but look in the room where she knew the struggle had taken place---and saw the body of her old psychiatrist with his trademark silver pen stuck through his throat, his toupee a few feet away from his sprawled body before doctors and guards moved in front of her view, shielding it from her.

Saix…he was completely bat-shit insane…and coming after Axel…she shouldn't care right? It was Axel…he hated her, she was still angry at him, he deserved…but Saix would hurt him…and neither he or Sora would forgive her…but this institute, no one could get out so Axel was safe…but Saix had just _killed_ a man and if he did get out…she'd know and didn't stop him and they'd all blame her…

Her mind snapped into place and a determined look entered her eyes as she blocked all the commotion completely out, imagery becoming nothing more than colorful blurs melting together, her mind focused on one simple thought:

For Axel's sake…for Sora's forgiveness…if Saix found a way to escape this hell to go after Axel, then so would she. And she'd find a way to stop him. Then Sora would have to see that she'd changed and that he could trust her…and Axel would owe her and would have to forgive her.

And Riku…

…her vengeance upon Riku would have to wait. For _**now**_.

* * *

_**More Author's Note:  
**Nothing much to add honestly other then I'll be updating with the next chapter very soon. To give a small hint, it's based heavily on Axel and Kairi mostly. That's all I'll say for now other then as always, Happy Reading!_

_~Kamirine_


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